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The Green Community week in review: Green jobs roundtable, BP's new cap (that works), IKEA nixes incandescent bulbs and more

By Katie Machol Simon on Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 1:00 pm

[image-1] - An original song, "Fire on the Water", written by a local Tampa Bay musician, Max Combs, about the devastation due to the oil spill in the Gulf.

Going on vacation? Organize your office and your exit strategy first to reduce "pre-vacation stress" - Find out how organizing your office environment and planning (and greening) your exit strategy first can make it easier to step away.

IKEA to discontinue incandescent light bulb sales in favor of energy efficient options - In addition to their current selection of energy-saving CFLs, IKEA will be issuing a halogen bulb that will fit a standard light socket, as well as continue the sales of their solar-powered lighting options.

Eco beauty: The green way to shave (video) - Here are some eco-friendly alternatives to plastic and electric razors.

As special session beckons, mixed signals on whether they'll be serious discussion on renewable energy - In the days since Crist called for the session to be held to discuss putting a constitutional amendment on the November state ballot that would let citizens decide whether to ban offshore drilling in state waters, lawmakers have been discussing using the four days to discuss other pressing matters, such as changing laws to help Panhandle area citizens deleteriously affected financially by the Gulf oil spill crises, and matters that have suddenly become urgent, like dealing with undocumented immigrants.

Harry Reid's new Senate energy bill- it's "not all green stuff, you know, Sierra Club stuff." - in their bid to acquire at least a handful of Republicans to get the 60 votes required, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vows that it's "not all green stuff, you know, Sierra Club stuff."

Green Jobs roundtable at St. Petersburg College, July 22 - Join us on July 22, 6-8pm at the St. Petersburg College EpiCenter for a panel discussion about Green Jobs.

Drip irrigation: A greener way to water your plants - This is a way to supply plants, and their root systems, with a consistent and steady supply of water.

After 87 days, there's no oil leaking into the Gulf due to BP's new cap - BP announced today that their newest well cap, installed yesterday afternoon, is working (so far).

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful looking for "Beach Watchers" to report early warning signs of the oil spill - Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful is looking for "Beach Watchers" to report early warning signs of the oil spill reaching the Tampa Bay area.

Don’t forget to check out our Green Community Calendar for green events and workshops in the Bay Area!

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What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed last week:

The Battle of Upham Beach, Part 3: Paying for an unsustainable project - In short, federal, state, and county taxpayer dollars are being thrown into a beach to protect condos built beyond the mean high waterline (and not by a sustainable means).

Americans take a stand against BP, starting at the pump - Taking I-75 North (and back) to Michigan, I noticed Floridians are not the only folks using their vehicles to let their voices be heard.

Life by the slick: Pensacola locals forced to adapt to the oil leak - For those living and working in the Pensacola area, there's no choice but to adapt to the effects of the oil leak.

Transitioning from consumers to "Creatives" to shape a 'quality of life' economy - Consumers or Creatives? Two little works provide such a different approach to how we live our lives. Consumers become Creatives and the whole world changes.

St. Petersburg city council member holds press conference to support energy efficiency funding - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have made it difficult for homeowners to make energy efficient upgrades, demanding that the upgrades be paid in full up front, which is an obstacle for most. This has led to the Federal Housing Finance Agency putting heavy restrictions on loans available for energy efficient upgrades, which in turn has halted the availability of the hundreds of millions in grant funding for PACE.