Power Player
0unique business that helps African Americans lower their heating bills
and purchase more energy-efficient green products at discounted rates.
the free service by logging onto blackEnergy.com, and the company uses
its relationship with gas providers in Georgia to works its magic
negotiating rock-bottom rates. “We also arrange for the energy company
to make a small charitable contribution in the customer’s name to a
non-profit of their choice,” says Ebron, 45, of the company she
established in 2001. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”
deregulated utility markets–cities and towns where multiple service
providers are available to customers–across Georgia, but Ebron
eventually hopes to branch out nationwide. The company’s other
offerings seem well-timed with the country’s ongoing economic
challenges.
request several times a year to help African Americans learn ways to
improve energy efficiency in their homes. And through its Web site,
blackEnergy sells environmentally friendly products, such as low-flow
shower heads, programmable thermostats, weather stripping and attic
fans–often at lower prices–which help customers lower their home
utility bills. blackEnergy’s services are marketed to African
Americans, but are open to all.
African Americans tend to pay more on their utility bills and we tend
to know less about energy efficiency,” she says. “Many of us are
wasting up to 80 percent of our energy because we don’t know how much
money we could save by making simple changes, like changing out the
light bulbs and filters and caulking windows.”
an agent of change for “the belief that environmental and social
consciousness can create satisfaction in the soul and the wallet” and
as a “Super Woman” of 2008 by the Atlanta Tribune magazine. A senior
fellow of the Environmental Leadership Program and a member of
Engineers Without Borders, Ebron has also earned “non-traditional
business” kudos from the Atlanta Business League.
labor of love. She says the concept of her business was inspired over
the 20 years she spent “teaching, studying and researching” energy
systems. During that time, Ebron, who has a Ph.D. in electrical
engineering, says she gained insight into the inner workings of utility
companies, particularly as it relates to small-scale residential
customers.
speaking engagements I start off by asking the audience if they think
they’re not paying enough for their monthly utility bills. I tell them
‘if you’re not being energy efficient in your home, you’re just sending
these utility company executives on yet another ski trip!’”
environmental blog targeted to African Americans, says efforts like
Ebron’s are critical for the black community. “Her efforts are very
timely because more African Americans need to be involved in the
environmental movement,” contends Ware, a Cleveland banker. “From an
economic standpoint what she’s doing makes sense. Our community tends
to be affected disproportionately in a crisis, primarily due to
economic disparities, so it makes sense to make the investment now to
better manage our resources.”
commitment to environmental initiatives. She hopes this year to expand
her business to include a “green team” that would dispatch trained
technicians to African-American homes to assess and implement
energy-saving tactics. “Small changes,” she says, “can save you some
change in the long run!”
Change the Color of Your Nursery
It all started with our hospital tour. My husband and I, as wide-eyed
with excitement as first-time expecting parents can possibly be, followed the nurse leading the tour. We
dutifully took notes about where to check in, what paperwork to bring
and, as we stopped by the nursery where tiny bundles of newborn life
lay in innocent sleep, we began to imagine how we might feel when the
life tumbling inside me pushed into the world. Then, breaking us out of
our sentimental reverie, the nurse told us we’d have to select our
pediatrician and start making decisions about our baby’s vaccination
schedule with the doctor before our due date. All my calm joy
disappeared in that hospital corridor, and my wide eyes no longer
signaled excitement, but a growing sense of dread.
mercury-laced vaccinations began to grip us. News reports about lead in
children’s toys surfaced. Suddenly, every purchase of a Teddy bear or
playmat required a burdensome meticulousness. I had to negotiate a
twinge of fear with every trip down the baby aisle. That twinge grew to
an impossible-to-ignore twang when we headed out to register for our
baby showers.
My college friend and mother of two young boys, Aisha Salmon,
volunteered to help us register. I figured Salmon would be an excellent
source of information for things like which stroller is best for the
subway and which baby carrier would enable me to nurse with dignity as
I negotiate the crowds of New York City. I got more than I bargained
for when she warned me to register only for bottles labeled Bisphenol A, or BPA, free.
e-mail. Carter’s (yes, Carter’s!) fall 2007 tagless clothing line,
including onesies, had produced second-degree burns on the backs of
about 400 newborns. Though the company’s official site calls the
reactions “allergic” not burns, I saw Internet pictures of baby’s backs
that made me shudder as hard as a Braxton-Hicks contraction.
mother go gray. And now I also had to second guess Carter’s, the
clothing I grew up wearing! Exactly what kind of world will I be
bringing my child into?
possible on our average American budget, we are going to create a green
nursery. Conflicting information didn’t make this easy. I received an
e-mail from Kimberly Seals Allers, author of The Mocha Manual to a
Fabulous Pregnancy, that said: “A few months ago the FDA tried to tell
us we were just hysterical moms with nothing to worry about when it
stated Bisphenol A was safe at the levels where it appears in most
consumer products…. Another government agency, the National Toxicology
Program, concluded there is ’some concern’ that BPA alters development
of the brain, prostate and behavior in children and fetuses.”
credible, authoritative information regarding vaccines and autism. And
Carter’s never actually recalled those tagless clothes, as it claimed
the items affected less than 1 percent of its customers. And what
happened to the big hullabaloo over lead in toys? Allers has helped me
negotiate this maze of contradictory information. “As black mothers,”
she says, “we know better than most not to rely solely on the
government to tell us what’s safe.”
So we registered for organic products, from crib sheets to infant
soft books to chlorine-free diapers to Seventh Generation cleaning
products like detergent and dishwashing liquid. We look forward to
having a frank, informed discussion about vaccinations. We’ll use
BPA-free bottles, and when I shop, I read labels to check where
products are made. We’re also checking out NexGen Cosmetics African
American Baby Care organic product line (africanamericanbabycare.com).
I can breathe deeply and not inhale a load of toxins knowing I’m buying
green products for our baby’s nursery while also supporting black-owned
businesses.
–Eisa Ulen
Easy Green Wedding
Weddings are typically exercises of excess. On top of the exorbitant
budget and details, the average wedding of 150 people produces 600 to
800 pounds of waste. With an average of 2 million weddings a year in
the United States, the amount of wasted knick-knacks, centerpieces and
displays sitting in landfills is astronomical–and devastating to Mother
Earth. When you start planning your big day, consider opting for a few
green elements to do your part for the planet. In addition to helping
the environment, green weddings can cost up to 40 percent less than
your average extravagant ceremony. Kate Harrison, author of The Green
Bride Guide, says, “You can have a luxurious wedding, save a ton of
money and decrease your impact on the environment by borrowing, renting
or purchasing pre-owned items.” Need to know how? The eight following
tips will make your wedding day green and easy:
1 Wear a pre-owned dress. The first step to going green might begin
with your wardrobe. Jennifer Bernstein, who married her husband, Scott,
in July 2007, found her A-lined beaded dream dress from
an20Oregon-based nonprofit called Brides Against Breast Cancer, which
sells thousands of new and used wedding gowns to raise money for breast
cancer research. Bernstein says, “My dress was recycled; I bought my
veil off of craigslist!”
Mireya Navarro, author of Green Wedding: Planning Your Eco-Friendly
Celebration, adds, “For my book I interviewed brides who didn’t want to
spend thousands of dollars on a dress they’d never wear again. One
borrowed a Vera Wang gown from a friend, and others bought second-hand
from vintage stores.” Also go online and see what you can find on
auction sites like www.ebay.com or wedding recycling cyberstops like www.bravobride.com.
If the thought of a pre-owned dress makes you queasy, consider wearing
a frock made of environmentally friendly fabrics like hemp. Hemp not
your thing? Buy something special, then donate it to charity so it gets
some use after your big day.
2 Consider a vintage ring. Popping on a pre-owned rock cuts down on
waste while distancing you from the blood diamond controversy
surrounding jewels mined in war-torn African countries. If you’re more
new school, Alex Lluch, president of WeddingSolutions.com, says, “You
can have an old piece of jewelry melted down and made into a new ring,”
or “buy a new conflict-free diamond from a certified dealer.”
3 Acquaint yourself with E-vite. Save trees and paper by going digital.
Judy Allen, author of Your Stress-Free Wedding Planner, says, “Use
your20wedding Web site to invite guests, receive RSVPs and to thank
wedding guests.” If you’re more traditional, simply use the Web to
alert guests to wedding-related events such as bachelor or bachelorette
parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. For the actual wedding
invitations, “use organic or soy ink on recycled paper,” Lluch says,
“and choose paper alternatives such as bamboo, hemp, banana stalks or
even cotton.”
4 Pick a central location. You may want to have an ultimate destination
wedding in Ibiza, but the carbon dioxide emissions from the plane
travel alone are not good for the ozone layer! “With friends and
families so dispersed these days, it is important to pick a location
that is convenient for the majority of your guests,” Harrison says.
“Not only will it decrease their travel costs (for which they will be
grateful), but it will also decrease the carbon footprint of your
event.” Do your relatives a favor and have your bash at a local church,
museum or public garden. Save the snazzy tropical locale for your
honeymoon.
5 Keep it small. If you truly want to reduce waste, maybe you shouldn’t
invite all your long-lost cousins and aunties. “The easiest way to keep
emissions and effects on the environment low is to have 20 guests
instead of 200,” Lluch says. Though it might be difficult, consult with
your future husband and see where you can trim the guest list. Once
you’re set, have your wed
ding and reception in the same place to avoid wasting energy and
natural resources on transportation.
6 Take it outside. If you plan your nuptials during a bright gorgeous
day, it’s most likely cheaper and more energy efficient to take the fun
into the sun. “With an outdoor wedding, you can utilize the natural
beauty of the site–and have fewer wasteful decorations,” Lluch says.
You’ll also save electricity on lights and air conditioning.
7 Go organic. If your whole menu can’t be organic, opt for one or two
organic items. “Ask your caterer about including a few seasonal,
organic elements in your menu,” Harrison says. “For the cake, see which
vendors are willing to substitute organic flour, sugar, eggs and milk
(all of which are easy to get at most large supermarkets).” Also look
into organic wine or beer, recycled napkins and table linens, and
organic bug spray.
8 Donate. Give any uneaten food to a local homeless shelter, and offer
your wedding décor to a community organization, nursing home or
hospital. Opt for potted plants as centerpieces and offer them to
guests as lasting wedding favors. They’ll be constant reminders of your
gorgeous green day.
–Claire Sulmers
