The continued growth in the solar industry, regulatory changes and new state incentives make this a great time to expand the depth and breadth of your PV knowledge base. At the end of March and early April, SLI is pleased to offer a number of intensive PV workshops throughout Northern California geared to professionals in the field.

In Sacramento, April 12th 9am-5pm:

PV 111: Find Your Dream Job in Solar California is one of the hottest markets in the country for the rapidly growing solar industry. In this illuminating one-day workshop, solar industry insider Liz Merry will share strategies for finding a fulfilling job in solar, discuss key trends and opportunities, and provide a holistic understanding of the industry. Career areas covered include: Sales, marketing, and installation, research & development, government or third-party policy work, education & non-profits.

In Los Angeles, April 18th 9am-5pm:

PV 920: Solar Sales & Marketing In this intensive workshop for both solar salespeople and sales management/owners, two PV industry veterans share their secrets for setting up a solid and effective sales team, then generating tons of leads for and with them.

In Los Angeles, April 19th 9am-5pm:

PV 912: Economics of Solar: Making the Financial Case Most customers know that solar electric is a good environmental choice, but few are aware that it can also be a remarkably sound investment. This rigorous interactive workshop is designed to help dealers, installers, and salespeople understand and make the most accurate and compelling financial case possible for the value of PV systems. The class is focused on residential systems in PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E utilities (depending on location) and serves as a prerequisite to the advanced class. Other states & utilities can be examined during the end-of-day interactive session.

In Los Angeles, April 20th 9am-5pm:

PV 913: Commercial Solar Economics & Financing This rigorous interactive workshop is designed to help commercial systems integrators (dealers, installers, and salespeople) understand and make the financial case for commercial PV systems in PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E utilities (depending on location), then understand how to finance them with PPAs and Leases.

Flooded roads and subways, deformed railroad tracks and weakened bridges may be the wave of the future with continuing global warming, a new study says.

Climate change will affect every type of transportation through rising sea levels, increased rainfall and surges from more intense storms, the National Research Council said in a report released Tuesday.

Complicating matters, people continue to move into coastal areas, creating the need for more roads and services in the most vulnerable regions, the report noted.

"The time has come for transportation professionals to acknowledge and confront the challenges posed by climate change and to incorporate the most current scientific knowledge into the planning of transportation systems," said Henry Schwartz Jr., past president and chairman of the engineering firm Sverdrup/Jacobs Civil Inc., and chairman of the committee that wrote the report.

The report cites five major areas of growing threat:

• More heat waves, requiring load limits at hot-weather or high-altitude airports and causing thermal expansion of bridge joints and rail track deformities.

• Rising sea levels and storm surges flooding coastal roadways, forcing evacuations, inundating airports and rail lines, flooding tunnels and eroding bridge bases.

• More rainstorms, delaying air and ground traffic, flooding tunnels and railways, and eroding road, bridge and pipeline supports.

• More frequent strong hurricanes, disrupting air and shipping service, blowing debris onto roads and damaging buildings.

• Rising arctic temperatures thawing permafrost, resulting in road, railway and airport runway subsidence and potential pipeline failures.

The full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311 /ap_on_sc/climate_travel

The Solar Living Institute offers these upcoming workshops on alternative transportation:

• How to Make and Use Biodiesel
• Build Your Own Biodiesel Processor
• Brew Up a Biodiesel Business

Whether remodeling a home or starting from scratch, this series of building workshops is perfect for homeowners, designers, developers, contractors and other building professionals who want a comprehensive introduction to environmentally sound building techniques, and hands-on experience working with natural materials.

In El Cerrito (Bay Area), March 28th 9am-5pm:

NB 101: Introduction to Ecological Design Learn the basic tools to help you design your own sustainable dwelling. Course emphasizes passive solar design features and includes discussion of site analysis, energy efficient design, day-lighting, cost-effective alternative construction methods, recycled and non-toxic materials, and an overview of renewable energy options.

In El Cerrito, CA (Bay Area), March 29-30 9am-5pm:

NB 130: Natural Plasters Whether you are plastering your straw bale home or remodeling your apartment in the city, natural plasters offer a multitude of beautiful, earth friendly surfaces. This course will teach you what types of plasters are appropriate for natural and conventional walls; what kind of preparation is required for different natural wall types; and how to mix and apply earthen and lime rough-coat plasters. Students will get hands-on experience plastering on-going projects, produce plasters from local materials and learn about products currently on the market.

Sign up for either workshop and receive $25 off!! Use coupon code NATURAL when checking out at www.solarliving.org

What's a clean earth worth to your company's bottom line?

This is no academic question. Natural systems provide a wealth of tangible and intangible services to business -- some $33 trillion worth of "free" deliverables a year, say experts. Those services include fertile soil, fresh water, breathable air, pollination, species habitat, soil formation, pest control, a livable climate, and a host of other things most of us take for granted. And none of which appear on companies' balance sheets.

And it would follow that the degradation of ecosystems caused by global warming or direct human action has the potential to severely disrupt businesses or provide beneficial opportunities.

That's the conclusion of a new report, The Corporate Ecosystems Services Review, just published by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. It offers a set of guidelines, accompanied by case studies from five businesses, explains the steps a business should take to identify what ecosystems it depends on and the risks and opportunities related to changes in those ecosystems.

This is one of many places that the threat of climate change intersects with the future of business, and like climate change, the topic isn't about to go away any time soon.

The Solar Living Institute is excited to announce its upcoming 8th annual Earth Day! This spring, over 200 local elementary school students will participate in hands-on activities that increase appreciation for the environment by teaching the fun and ease of sustainable living. Students will bake cookies in solar ovens, generate their own power with bicycles, get their hands earthy with natural building, learn about composting, ride the world's only solar powered carousel, and much more!

This year, as in previous years, Colorado-based Gaiam, Inc. will sponsor an Earth Day celebration at the Solar Living Center for youth from low-income neighborhoods in the Bay Area. For many, it is their first time out of the city, and the students are truly inspired by connecting with nature and learning about sustainability while experiencing fun, interactive education.

We believe that reaching kids at a young age, planting the seed of environmental preservation, and exposing them to possible future careers in the growing green economy will make a lasting impression and create visions of a better future.

The Solar Living Institute promotes sustainable living through inspirational environmental education the whole year. An educational school tour can be arranged, any time during the year, by calling 707-744-2017. The general public is also invited to drop by seven days a week, 10am to 6pm. Free tours are offered Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at 11am and again at 3pm. The solar-powered carousel will be available for public rides all summer long. The grounds are located on California Highway 101 in Mendocino County, just south of the town of Hopland.

SOLAR 2008, produced by the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org), is the premier technical conference for solar energy and energy efficiency professionals in the U.S. Taking place this May 3-8th in San Diego and in its 37th year, this industry-leading conference series offers you the emerging trends, technological breakthroughs, industry insight, and connections you need to stay ahead.

With the energy industry changing at an unprecedented pace, this conference helps you understand the changes and uncover the opportunities. It examines the most timely topics of the day, and introduces you to the industry leaders, innovators, and exhibitors who are shaping the industry.

Who should attend:

• Researchers and scientists
• Dealers and installers
• Architects and green builders
• Academics
• Policy-makers and utility representatives
• Investors, entrepreneurs, and analysts
• Industry professionals, career-changers, and students
• Homeowners

The Solar Living Institute (www.solarliving.org) is proud to be part of this cutting-edge event, and will be offering the following workshops at the conference:

• Investing in Renewable Energy
• Commercial & Industrial PV
• PV Field Verification & Testing
• Fire Resistant Building & Landscaping
• Biodiesel: Your Homemade Fuel
• Making Solar Affordable: Rebates & Incentives
• Energy Efficiency & Conservation
• Green Remodeling Basics

To register for these classes or for the conference, visit the American Solar Energy Society website.

In this issue of the Village View, we highlight former Solar Living Institute intern Jenny Tracy, who interned in the summer of 2004 and is taking her knowledge of sustainability to communities in need around the world.

Since September of 2007, Jenny has been working with Border Green Energy Team (BGET), whose mission is to install renewable energy technology in rural villages and refuge camps along the Thailand/Myanmar border. In an area ridden with strife, Jenny and the BGET team have been working to bring appropriate technology solutions for health care, education, and food in the community.

With local agricultural needs taking a priority, Jenny and the BGET team installed solar water pumping, gravity-fed drip irrigation, and composting systems that are appropriate for the needs of the refugee camps in the area. Jenny also coordinated the installation of a 720 watt solar system that is now providing power to a village medical clinic for the use of lights, microscopes, computers, and a vaccine refrigerator. The team has nearly completed the installation of a 3.5 kilowatt microhydro system that will provide power to the elementary school, dormitory, and in the future will expand out to individual houses within the village.

The Solar Living Institute is proud to show off the accomplishments of members of our Solar Living family - Jenny is a true example of one person turning their inspiration into action!

Amidst increasingly dire news about the economy and climate change, Architecture 2030 released good news that could help turn the U.S. economic crisis around while dealing a much-needed blow to climate change. At the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, Edward Mazria, founder of Architecture 2030, illustrated how a small investment of only $21.6 billion in the Building Sector would produce 216,000 permanent jobs and save 86.7 Million Metric Tons (MMT) of CO2 in a single year. This same amount invested each year for five years would net over one million permanent jobs and save 433.5 MMT. "Although difficult, the economic and global warming crises are the motivation we need as a nation to retool our thinking. If we're smart enough to jump on this opportunity, we will not only solve global warming, we will set the US up for unprecedented economic success," Mazria said.

Read the full article:

Read about the Solar Living Institute's cutting-edge work on training urban youth for green collar jobs in Richmond, CA.

We have two job openings at the Solar Living Institute.

Please follow the links below for more information on the positions and how to apply:

• Outside Events Coordinator