Connected to both the green building industry and the health & wellness world, Get Green Today Expo helped us see the need to create a place where consumers can find and connect with businesses and people who make a difference. We call this new place on the web, Get Green Directory.

Why do we want you to get green? As Florida grows and develops, we’re going to see more and more need to conserve water, electricity and resources. There’s so much you can do to better position yourself and your home, by becoming more efficient, more green. Our site directs you to people who are leading the way.

Wanted: Celeb who cares about the future of the planet and wants to put his/her name on a good cause. Are you a star in search of meaning? Read on.

Orlando certainly has star-power. I bet a few of you have even visited this site. Oh yes, you know who you are. Agents, publicists, budding American Idols, let us be your source of feel-good, give back to the community. Pay is performance/karma based. (That means we can’t afford to pay you in dollars, rather in good vibes and flattering blog articles, with the occasional photo-op thrown in.

Have you ever been to a city that has a great bike trail? Last week we rode some of Orlando’s bike paths, including the West Orange Trail, It took us straight through Winter Garden, FL and what a transformation this town has made to it’s downtown. It is a thriving boom town and ties into its rich history, making for one of the region’s prettiest, and revitalized downtowns. Besides the economic benefits, we saw literally hundreds of people, cycling and walking. From families out for a stroll under the forested pathway to groups of bikers on road bikes training for the latest Iron Man, the place was abuzz with energy.

Daily, we’re reminded about the violence and chaos that is Iraq. Not so readily available are ways to help. Many people have asked about how to make donations, for deployed troops and how to help the Iraqis. Here are a few things I’ve found.

Looking for ways to support and honor U.S. military service members and veterans who protect our security and freedom? In years past, you could wrap up a care package and mail it to “Any Service Member” for the holidays, but with increased mail restrictions, the Pentagon is asking people to help through financial contributions, letter-writing and e-mail, purchasing authorized pre-made care packages, or volunteering time through non-profits.

How does a library help the environment? One home delivery at a time. And home delivery has been at the forefront of services offered by the Orange County Library System (OCLS) for more than 30 years.

In 1974, residents of Central Florida faced issues that seem familiar to us today. Rising gas prices, increased traffic and energy concerns were becoming part of the fabric of modern life. Glenn Miller, serving as Director of what was still known then as the Orlando Public Library, initiated a books-by-mail program that year.

Young Professionals of Brevard (ypB), a program of Brevard Tomorrow will host its monthly Young Professionals “Meet & Greet” at Ichabod’s Dockside Bar & Grille in the Melbourne Harbor Marina - 2210 Front St., Melbourne on Thursday, June 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The event offers young professionals in the community - ages 21 to 40 - a setting for social and business networking in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. There is no charge to attend, complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available.

SBIC is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the design, affordability, energy performance, and environmental soundness of America’s buildings.

SBIC teaches, values, and advocates a balanced, holistic approach to designing new buildings. These days many terms are used to describe improved buildings, such as “green,” “sustainable,” “high performance,” and “environmentally responsive.” We are always mindful that these ideas must be kept in context with other equally important design objectives, such as aesthetics, accessibility, cost effectiveness, flexibility, high productivity, and security. Our members believe that all sustainable buildings must be low-energy, climate-responsive, use minimal fossil fuels and cleaner, renewable energy.

Every day we’re reminded that American military personnel are serving in foreign lands. As we write and publish GreenOrlando each and every month I’m ever mindful of those who give of themselves and put their lives on the line to secure our freedom and way of life. Unfortunately, today’s climate in mainstream media often only shows the negative things occurring around the world. This publication’s mission is to shine a spotlight on the good news.

Hidden Potentials is a 9 year old non-profit organization which believes that “every child deserves a fighting chance”. Their motto is the drive behind their program which offers specialized in-home tutoring services to special needs and regular education students.

Founded because of the need of her son, Tristan, Kathy Clinton discovered very soon after his diagnosis of autism that she needed help and she needed it fast! Kathy worked full time at the space center and she and her husband had just been blessed with their second child. Tristan was 3 at the time and totally out of control. He had lost all verbal language and his behaviors made it impossible for the family to go anywhere outside the home.

Brevard Tomorrow is a community-driven initiative focused on creating a ‘preferred future’ for Brevard County. This task requires diverse groups and people from around the county to come together to collaborate, communicate and proactively carry out initiatives that will protect and enhance the quality of life for all our residents.

Brevard Tomorrow is working to create a community that prides itself on its educational and workforce opportunities, strong economy, well-planned and sustainable development and redevelopment, and responsive government.
One of the primary areas of focus in the Brevard Tomorrow strategic plan is to create a sound civic infrastructure, one that encourages community understanding, cooperation and involvement in those areas that impact our quality of life.

Touting the quickest DNS turnarounds ever known, GreenOrlando launches within hours of setup. Blogs, here we come.

GreenOrlando is a good news publication that both promotes Central Florida and unites the community. It serves to shine a light on businesses, organizations and people who give of themselves to better the greater Orlando area.

GreenOrlando is sister-publication to GreenBrevard, launched from the Space Coast of Florida. The creators hope to build a network of locally-focused, forums that unite communities, while raising awareness about sustainability, smart growth, energy, water and resource conservation.

When I moved from Ohio in June of 2000 to the Melbourne beach area, the world was a different place then. We didn’t have a inclining of fear with the sound of a jet overhead, because we didn’t have our innocence ripped from us, as on that fateful day of September 11th 2001.

Only then were we thrust in to a quandary and decision process with our very survival possibly at stake. We collectively pulled together as a team, as a cohesive group of like minded individuals that were going to do what ever it took to ensure that survival.

In the United States and many industrialized nations, we’re drowning in activity. Most of us have more than a safe number of plates spinning in the air: reports due, projects to manage, meetings to attend, doctor visits, home/auto maintenance, school activities, family responsibilities, finances… It’s no wonder that we plop on the sofa after a late dinner and just veg out. A recent study estimated that the typical 65-year-old will have watched almost 9 years of television during their lifetime. Nine years! There is, however, a way to stop this insanity and gain more control over our lives – especially our work life.

One of the greatest joys I’ve found since moving to Brevard County in 2003 is the opportunity to brainstorm potentially synergistic affiliations with other local professionals.

Smack in the midst of building a financial services practice, a communications venture (speaking and writing) and an online magazine (this one you’re reading, as a matter of fact), I naturally do a lot of networking. I intentionally pay attention to the people around me and try to discern possible connections that could produce win-win scenarios.

American Cancer Society Works to Save Lives
The American Cancer Society is determined to ultimately eliminate cancer as a major health threat. While striving to reach this goal, the American Cancer Society works daily to save more lives until a cure is found.

The real strength of the American Cancer Society lies in its volunteers, who translate policy into reality. Motivated by personal experiences and concern for others, they accomplish the mission of the American Cancer Society. You can join us in accomplishing this mission by participating in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, a team event to fight cancer.

What do you get when you add a strategic marketing firm, a design studio, an IT company, two development teams, an internet marketing company, and a public relations duo? You get serious talent, with almost no overhead. You get a lean, mean, communications team, who networks with most everyone in Brevard County. You get Giant3.

You’ve seen their work. It is everywhere. From the United Way’s award winning website, to Brevard County’s new branding campaign, built from Brevard Tomorrow’s storytelling workshop. The Cocoa Beach Area Chamber’s InSite, 211Brevard’s branding, Brevard Job Link, WA1A, XL TechGroup, and yes, GreenBrevard are all examples of their work

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida has been serving the local community since 1975. The mission of the program is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships by developing the emotional, social, educational, and physical well being of the child.

Last year in 2003-2004, we served 662 children in Central Florida. Currently, we have over 175 children waiting for a Big in Brevard county.

The Littles in our program can be served in two ways:

It was late after dinner, almost bedtime, when my son, a first-grader, informed me in a distressed tone of voice that he had not done his school homework, which was due the next morning. Instinctively, I asked him “what are you going to do about it?” Since he looked a bit perplexed, I helped him explore various options. Little did I know at the time, however, that I was following the Love and Logic techniques promulgated by Jim Fay, an internationally recognized educator, speaker, and consultant. The Love and Logic approach can be summarized succinctly in the following way: “Love allows children to grow through their mistakes. Logic allows them to live with the consequences of their choices.”

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”
The saying of course refers to the belief that it not only takes parents to raise a child successfully, but the process also needs grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors, teachers and pastors, even strangers. By joining together, the child benefits from the love, understanding, knowledge, as well as the watchful eyes, of many people working as a team to raise a happy, healthy child.

We recently had the opportunity to talk with Larry Weber, the Executive Director of Keep Brevard Beautiful. KBB is an incredible organization. Created in 1981, it has managed, directed and initiated a wide array of programs and have enlisted the help of thousands of our residents. From education and partnership with Brevard’s schools, to Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A-Shore, to continual clean-ups Larry and his teams efforts have a profound impact. They work tirelessly behind the scenes at many events, such as the Cocoa Beach Area of Commerce’s annual SeaFest celebration, to ensure litter-free events.