September
2008
Election 2008 – How Green is Your Presidential Candidate?
By Ryan
Moehring
With just about a month to go before one of the most anticipated
presidential elections in U.S. history, we thought that you might
appreciate a non-partisan snapshot on where the candidates stand on
climate and energy issues.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Both candidates support a cap-and-trade system. For the
uninitiated, this type of system is designed to cut overall emissions by
a predetermined, legally enforced percentage. Every large-scale carbon
emitter has to obtain a permit for every ton of carbon dioxide it emits
into the atmosphere. Over time, the limits become stricter until the
ultimate reduction goal is met. This is the cap. The trade results when
companies who do not use all of their permits sell them to companies who
cannot make their reductions. In this way, overall reductions are
assured and more efficient companies are rewarded. Under Barack Obama’s
plan, U.S. emissions would be cut by 80 percent below 1990 levels by
2050. John McCain proposes reducing emissions by 60 percent below 1990
levels by 2050. While Obama would auction off 100 percent of emission
credits, McCain would initially give away credits then eventually phase
in a similar auction structure. McCain would also allow companies to buy
carbon offsets instead of reducing their emissions, a policy Obama
opposes.
Renewable Energy
John McCain recently unveiled his
Lexicon Project, which is described on his web site as an “all of
the above energy solution.” McCain supports renewable energy and
concedes that “green jobs and green technology will be vital to our
economic future,” but he has not offered a specific plan to date. He has
said that he will “encourage the market for alternative, low carbon
fuels such as wind, hydro, and solar power.” Obama supports a renewable
portfolio standard. Under his plan, the U.S. would get 10 percent of its
electricity from renewable sources by 2012. That number would increase
to 25 percent by 2025. Over the next 10 years, Obama would invest $150
billion in renewables, biofuels, and efficiency, an endeavor he claims
will create 5 million green jobs.
Nuclear Energy
John McCain is an ardent supporter of nuclear power and has
pledged to build 45 new nuclear plants in the U.S. by 2030, eventually
increasing that number to 100 new plants. Barack Obama has stated that
nuclear power should “continue to be part of the energy mix,” but has
also stated that it is “not a great option,” citing concerns with safety
and storage of spent nuclear reactive fuel rods. Obama has opposed
storage of such nuclear waste at the
Yucca Mountain storage facility.
Offshore Drilling
Both candidates have been accused of “flip-flopping” on the
issue of offshore drilling. Historically, Barack Obama has opposed
opening up our coastal waters to drilling. In August 2008, he conceded
that he would consider “some” offshore drilling if doing so would ensure
the passage of a comprehensive energy plan. John McCain also has
strongly opposed domestic offshore drilling in the past. However, his
stance has recently changed and he now supports drilling. According to
his web site, “the current federal moratorium on drilling in the Outer
Continental Shelf stands in the way of energy exploration and
production.”
Fuel Economy Standards
Both candidates have said that fuel economy standards for
automobiles should be raised. While John McCain has not offered specific
targets, he has said that he would more strictly enforce existing
standards, as many auto manufacturers routinely ignore them and opt to
pay a small fine for their noncompliance. Barack Obama has suggested
spending $4 billion to help auto manufacturers update their plants to
produce more efficient vehicles. He would also increase fuel efficiency
standards by 4 percent, which equals roughly one mile per gallon, per
year. Obama also supports putting one million plug-in hybrids on the
road by 2012. McCain has pledged to give away a $300 million prize to
the developer of a battery that significantly bolsters the storage
capacity of plug-in and hybrid vehicles.
To learn more about the candidates’ positions on other critical energy
and environmental issues, please visit the following websites:
http://www.grist.org/candidate_chart_08.html
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech
_080308.pdf
http://www.johnmccain.com//Informing/Issues/17671aa4-2fe8-4008-859f-0ef1468e96f4.htm
Descriptions of the candidates and their policies are not and should
not be perceived as endorsements. EcoBroker does not endorse political
candidates. However, we do hope that the preceding paragraphs provide
you with enough information to spark your interest and encourage you to
learn more about the issues. Voting is an important right you hold as an
American and we sincerely hope that you will exercise that right this
November
Test your knowledge about the
presidential candidates' plans for greener future
EcoBroker Update: In this Issue
Election 2008 - How Green Is Your Presidential Candidate?
Family Air Care®
Test Kit Now Available
for EcoBrokers®
Environmental Headlines
Companies Must Lead Climate Change Fight: Consumers
More Building Professionals Seeking and Earning Green Certification
Teleconferencing Can Save a Company Money and Energy
"Green" Real Estate Headlines
Lighter Roofs Could Save $1 Billion USD Annually
California Leads Nation with Green Building Code
Real Estate Outlook; Predicting the Stock Market's Affect on Housing
EcoBroker® is closing in on six successful years of
growth in the green real estate education arena. The leader of green
real estate training continues to grow in membership and now has over
4,000 agents. EcoBroker® members have gained premier market presence in
all 50 states, Washington, D.C., five Canadian provinces, Mexico, Costa
Rica, the Caribbean, and New Zealand. To celebrate its phenomenal
growth, EcoBroker® issued a recent press release that congratulates the
first graduating class of EcoBroker Certified® agents from 2003. The
release highlights how each EcoBroker® can assist clients in their
pursuit of green property performance, providing for affordability,
comfort, and healthier environments. To maintain program integrity,
EcoBroker® also requires all of its members to take a continuing
education course each year to keep abreast of the ever-changing world of
green real estate. The release,
“EcoBroker®, the Green Designation in Real Estate since 2002, Celebrates
4,000 Members,” was a huge success and was published across the
country. EcoBroker® is mentioned throughout the September 2008 “green
issue” of California Real Estate Magazine in the following articles: “Seeing
Green. And Why It Matters To Your Business and Clients;” “Is
it Green? Defining What Makes a Home Green or Simply Greener;” “ROUNDTABLE:
Why Green Real Estate Matters;” and “How
to Green Your Office. How Some Agents are Greening their Offices and
Saving Money.” The community connections of each EcoBroker® continue
to position them as true ambassadors of green real estate to the
consumer and within trade publications such as California Real Estate
Magazine.
EcoBroker Certified® agent Adam Gallegos, formerly of RE/MAX Allegiance
in Clarendon, Virginia, and known as one of the Washington D.C., area’s
most innovative real estate brokers, is starting a new green real estate
venture. Arbour Realty was created from Gallegos’ passion for positive
change. The green real estate company’s chief goal is to provide service
that continues after the sale by helping sellers communicate the
advantages of green features and educating buyers on opportunities for
improvement.
The green philosophy continues throughout Arbour Realty’s offices with
emphasis on paperless communication, recycled and renewable paper
products for marketing materials, and support of environmentally
friendly suppliers and service providers. To further promote
carbon-neutral home buying, Arbour Realty will use online video tours of
properties for sale. For every client that collaborates with Arbour
Realty on the sale or purchase of a new home, Gallegos will have a tree
planted in the client's honor at one of the national parks that have
been recently damaged by wildfires.
Three EcoBrokers® give marketing advice in the September 2008 issue of
REALTOR® magazine. EcoBrokers Todd Foley of Coldwell Banker in Tampa,
Florida, Karen Sutherland of RE/MAX Beach Towne in Melbourne Beach,
Florida, and Jennifer Spivey of Power Realty Partners in Atlanta,
Georgia, speak out in “Green
Your Market with Eco Features,” an article about separating your
listings from the pack in a tough real estate market. Learn how these
professionals use their credentials and green knowledge to market
eco-conscious homes.
Read the article now.
Maui, Hawaii, EcoBroker® Meghan Clair of Windermere Real Estate Wailea
published an article in the 2008 issue of Luxury Home Magazine: Hawaii.
The article, “It
Pays to Think GREEN When Investing in Real Estate,” emphasizes
Clair’s belief that going green is a lifestyle, not a trend. She lists
ways new homes and existing homeowners can implement green features to
make their homes more marketable while protecting Hawaii’s natural
environment.
View Clair’s article on her blog page.
EcoBrokers® Stephanie Edwards-Musa of Prudential Gary Greene and Erik
Fowler of Greenwood King Properties, both in Houston, Texas, are
striving to promote a greener region. Both were recently quoted in
Houston Chronicle’s Real Estate column by Nancy Sarnoff. In “Some
Brokers Specialize in Eco-Friendly Features,” Edwards-Musa makes it
clear that clients are very specific about what they want in a
green-features home. She cites three different clients who are shopping
for: a yard for an organic garden; a location close to public
transportation; and an energy-efficient property. Edwards-Musa and
Fowler, two of a small but growing number of eco-designated real estate
professionals in the Houston area, talk up green building and marketing
green properties. Fowler says that simply pointing out a green feature
brings a broader component of home buyers and sellers.
Read the article now.
Certified EcoBroker® Carson Matthews of Harry Norman Realtors in
Atlanta, Georgia, was named a Realtor on the Rise by RISMedia. Each day,
RISMedia introduces one of their 50 Realtors on the Rise for 2008 on
their web site’s “50
Days of Leaders: Greening Real Estate” page. Real Estate Magazine
editors select Realtors on the Rise leaders from hundreds of entrants.
Matthews was chosen for spearheading a movement in which he brought
EcoBroker courses to 48 agents he organized at Harry Norman. Winners are
chosen for stepping outside the box, bringing new outlooks, and
“charging ahead” in today’s changing real estate space.
Read the article now.
Christian Moreau is helping paint the town green! A Certified EcoBroker®
in the Denver, Colorado, area, Moreau will be a presenter in a series of
workshops this fall titled, “Greenovate: Green Renovation for all Homes”
at New Era Paint. The new green paint store sells environmentally
friendly, low-odor, and nontoxic paints with no volatile organic
compounds. More information can be found in the article “Green
Paint Store Opens” on the
Business News web site.
Jacksonville, Florida, EcoBroker® Dena Cavilas of Distinguished Realty
was featured in the Florida Times-Union’s Sept. 14, 2008, “Keen
on Green” article about the upcoming Jacksonville Green Expo.
Cavilas is Jacksonville’s first EcoBroker and says she wants to have a
direct effect on her community. She is using her real estate
professional skills and green training to help clients find dream homes
that are also energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
Read the article now.
Looking for guerilla marketing tips? Check out EcoBroker® Mike Hogan’s
blog on Active Rain, a free online community for real estate
professionals. Not sure what guerilla marketing is? Hogan describes it
on his blog as “the idea of gaining maximum exposure using the least
amount of money—money is replaced by using energy, time, and
imagination. This idea fits well with sustainability and utilizing less
resources to meet goals.” Hogan offers five green guerilla marketing
tips at
http://activerain.com/blogsview/656764/5-Green-Guerrilla-Marketing.
Take a look at KWGN TV- DENVER (channel 2) reporter Jason Boyer’s Free
to be Green videos at
http://www.kwgn.com/pages/free_to_be_green/. Of special interest is
his “Demand for Green Houses on the Rise” segment featuring EcoBroker®
Brad Sandler, owner of Green Door Living Real Estate. To view that
segment, click on that title in the sidebar to the right of the video
screen.
EcoBroker® President and CEO John Beldock was invited to be keynote
speaker at the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors‘ Luxury Home
Green Tour and Eco-Symposium on September 18, 2008, giving an overview
of the green movement. The event was a huge success. Hope to see you all
again next year!
- Have you talked to the press and been quoted in an article? Let us know! We love hearing about and sharing all the great things our EcoBrokers® are doing. Please email Mark at mgashler@ecobroker.com if you would like to appear in next month’s EcoBrokers® in the News section.
Upcoming Events You Won’t Want to Miss!
In the interest of ongoing education and networking, we have compiled a
list of events across the country that EcoBrokers® will enjoy
attending. Attend a conference or expo and you’ll collect
information, meet the experts, bump into like-minded professionals in
real estate and other industries, and potentially interact with
consumers who’ll become your next buyers or sellers! Here are just a few
examples of such events happening around the country. For additional
green events, please visit the EcoBroker website at:
http://www.ecobroker.com/userdef/eventscalendar.htm
1.
Green East
Oct. 21-23, 2008 –
New York, NY
Green East brings together the entire spectrum of green products and
services together under one roof, giving corporate, government and
individual buyers alike the opportunity for synergistic purchasing
across the full spectrum of suppliers.
http://www.greeneastexpo.com
2.
2008 Excellence in Building Conference & Expo
Oct. 22-24 – Phoenix, AZ
Join us for the best face-to-face marketing at the best building science
conference this year at the Arizona Grand Resort.
https://www.eeba.org/conference/Registration/
default.aspx?ConferenceID=2
3.
EcoHome 2008
Oct. 22-24, 2008 – Austin, TX
The EcoHome Conference will be held in Austin, Texas, a city as
eco-friendly as it is distinct. The conference will be held Wednesday,
October 22, through Thursday, October 23, with a Home Tour concluding the
event on Friday, October 24. The event will serve as a meeting place for
over 500 residential construction professionals who are looking to make
small to significant changes to their building practices. EcoHome
Conference will provide an intimate environment to network, think
outside the box, and foster long-lasting industry relationships.
http://www.ecohomeconference.com
4.
Greenbuild International Conference and Expo
Nov. 19-21, 2008 – Boston, MA
Boston, the historic cradle of the American Revolution, home to
innovations that have far-reaching impact, and the perfect place to
celebrate Greenbuild 2008’s theme of “Revolutionary Green: Innovations
for Global Sustainability.” Buildings play a critical role in protecting
and improving our environment and the health of the people who occupy
them. USGBC’s Greenbuild conference and expo is an unparalleled
opportunity to connect with other green building peers, industry experts,
and influential leaders as they share insights on the green building
movement and its diverse specialties.
http://www.greenbuildexpo.org
5.
NAHB National Green Building Conference
May 8, 2009 - May 10, 2009 –
Dallas, TX
Get contacts, tools, and ideas that are good for both the environment
and your bottom line. The NAHB National Green Building Conference is the
only national conference targeted to green building for the mainstream
residential building industry.
http://www.nahb.org/conference_details.aspx?conferenceID=59
6.
Indiana Building Green Symposium 2009
March 12 - 13, 2009 –
Indianapolis, IN
The 3rd annual Indiana Building Green Symposium 2009 brings together
nonprofit, education, and civic organizations as the largest annual
Green Building event in Indiana. Organizing partners include local
chapters of: USGBC; AIA; BOMA; CSI; IIDA; ASHRAE; Ball State; and the
Indiana Housing Authority.
http://www.bsu.edu/capic/buildinggreen/
7.
Energy Trust Better Living Show
March 27 - 29, 2009 - Portland, OR
The Northwest’s Largest Sustainable Lifestyle Show. In case you haven't
noticed, green is hip. That means new products, new ideas, and evolving
attitudes. Now there's an event in Portland where it all comes together
in one place. And best yet, admission is FREE! We'll introduce you to
businesses and groups in our region that will help you make choices you
feel good about. All presented in an entertaining way like you've never
seen before. It's simply too good to miss.
http://www.betterlivingshow.org/
Contact Us
Do you have questions, suggestions, or articles for the EcoBroker
Update? Please contact us with your comments.
Coaching Corner...
"How
to Make Money in this ‘Tough’ Market!"
By Laura Shope, EcoBroker Certified®
Have you heard this title
for a workshop or article lately?
Most of these workshops
and articles are going to tell you what to DO to build your business.
They’ll describe things like going after FSBOs or expireds, staying in
touch with your sphere of influence, and web site lead generation. These
are all great reminders of the business building strategies we’ve each
learned at one point or another in our real estate careers. And, all
these techniques and strategies, all these tasks, earn merit in your
business.
And, the key missing piece is:
Who are you BEING while you
are doing all of these activities? What are you focusing on? What is
your goal (other than a vague aspiration of ”making some money”)? What
do you believe—really believe—will happen as you take these actions? In
other words, what kind of energy are you putting out to potential
clients?
Conduct More Business on EcoBroker.com...
Send Your Buyers & Sellers Links to the Latest "Green" Topics
Simply go to the
ECOBROKER "Green" Topics page
and select a green topic. Once you have the topic page open in your Web
browser, copy and paste the Web address into an email and send it to
your buyers and sellers. Include the topic's introductory paragraph to
pique interest. Below is an example. Just
copy the link and initial information below and include it in an email
to your buyers and sellers who may be interested.
Snapshot
& Benefits:
The growing trend toward "tightening the home" improves a home's energy
efficiency by controlling air and moisture movement to and from the
home.
Let There Be No Confusion; You Are an EcoBroker®!
Once you have completed your training and earned your EcoBroker® designation, we love to see you out in the marketplace promoting your designation. Make sure to display your licensed trademark correctly so your customers know you are the real deal!
Here are a few examples of mistakes we see all the time and how to correct them:
Incorrect |
Correct! |
| Eco-Broker | EcoBroker® |
| ECO-Broker | EcoBroker® |
| ECO Broker | EcoBroker® |
| Ecobroker | EcoBroker® |
| Eco Broker | EcoBroker® |
By displaying the EcoBroker trademark properly, you are helping to strengthen brand recognition, credibility of the mark, and the impact the EcoBroker® designation will have on your clients!
Please don't hesitate to contact us at 1-800-706-4321 or by email at memberservices@ecobroker.com if you have questions about how to properly use licensed EcoBroker trademarks. Please also keep a copy of your license agreement handy. It contains a "Specification for Use" document that can help guide you in your proper use of EcoBroker trademarks.
Family Air Care®
Test
Kit Now Available
For EcoBrokers®
Indoor Air Quality is a key factor in every home.
Both home buyers and sellers are concerned about the air quality in the
living space.
Now your clients can test their home for the most important triggers of
allergy, asthma and other respiratory illnesses-mold, cockroaches, dust
mites, cat and dog dander.
The Family Air Care® Indoor Allergens and Mold Test Kit is
easy-to-use, manufactured and serviced by
the world’s leading lung specialists at National Jewish HealthTM
the number one respiratory hospital in America since 1998
(U.S. News & World Report).
Your clients that purchase the kit will receive information about levels
of specific allergens present in the home being tested. The results are
compared to average levels in U.S. homes and levels associated with
allergy symptoms in some individuals for possible corrective action.
The Kit is easy to use and the most scientifically advanced test system
for allergens, including mold, available on the market today.
Through a special arrangement, the Family Air Care® Indoor
Allergens & Mold Test Kit is now available at a special discounted price
to EcoBroker® clients.
For more information, contact the Family Air Care program at
1-800-934-4839
familyaircare@njc.org or
visit
familyaircare.com
http://www.nationaljewish.org/familyaircare/ecobrokers.aspx
EcoBroker®
clients
visit
http://www.nationaljewish.org/store/categoryview.aspx?id=1602
for a special EcoBroker 20% discount.
Learn more on
EcoBroker.com
Contact Us
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29029 Upper Bear Creek Rd., Evergreen, CO 80439 • 800-706-4321