Sometime in the last 24 hours, my 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid’s odometer ticked past the 100,000 mile mark. No cascade of balloons fell, no party horns sounded, but my car deserves a parade.

This was a big week for the green economy.  President Obama announced his new plan for action on climate change, and I was doing my Snoopy Happy Dance in the street.

As a green business owner who’s been waiting for action on climate for some time, I looked for his speech on TV – and couldn’t find it. CNN was covering the George Zimmerman trial. And MSNBC was covering the Edgar Snowden story. I wound up reading it online. Sigh – this is typical of a topic that is routinely under-reported despite its critical importance.

To save you the time of reading his 6,000 word speech or reading the 20 page PDF, here’s my summary of the plan. It outlines the need to:

• Cut carbon pollution by (1) using less dirty energy like coal, (2) transitioning to cleaner sources of energy like renewables (solar and wind) and natural gas, and (3) wasting less energy throughout the economy. 

• Prepare the US for the impacts of climate change that can’t be avoided at this point. This means building smarter, more resilient infrastructure that can protect homes and businesses, and withstand more powerful storms.

• Lead international efforts to combat a changing climate. “Though all America’s carbon pollution fell last year, global carbon pollution rose to a record high. That’s a problem.” 

Throughout the speech, President Obama reminded listeners that “there’s no contradiction between a sound environment and strong economic growth.” Very true.

If you’d like to read the speech, here’s a link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-25/-we-need-to-act-transcript-of-obama-s-climate-change-speech.html

And here’s the full plan for all you detail junkies: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27sclimateactionplan.pdf

As a green business owner, I look at every part of the plan and think “jobs.” Not just a job for me because I serve green businesses and organizations. But jobs for EVERYONE. And that means a healthy, growing economy.

New energy sources – whether they are renewables like wind and solar or a fuel like natural gas – mean jobs HERE in the United States. Wasting less energy means smaller energy bills for consumers and less pollution. But it’s also a huge opportunity for new and existing  businesses to create new products that better measure and manage energy flows.

“Preparing for impact” means more infrastructure jobs on roads, bridges, tunnels, water treatment systems, the power grid. ALL of these sectors need to be assessed and strengthened to withstand more severe weather. That takes construction and engineering jobs. I watched the collapse of the housing bubble right here in Florida, and the devastation visited on the construction industry.  I welcome a plan that creates jobs for my neighbors and makes us all safer in the face of the turbulent weather ahead.

And taking the lead in international climate efforts? That should be a given. The US’s historic role as a HUGE emitter of greenhouse gases means it’s incumbent upon us to clean up our act. But our nation’s capacity to innovate, implement, and scale up fast – that’s just what the doctor ordered.  We’ll need scientists, diplomats, academics, business people – everyone needs to be part of the conversation going forward. It will take all of us to figure this out and share the results.  I think the world is waiting for us to act.

Thank you, President Obama, for stepping up to the plate on this. And in case you’re wondering, yes, “I’m in.”

I’m proud to announce that Great Green Content has joined over 350 small businesses in signing the Climate Declaration – a statement calling on U.S. policymakers to capture the American economic opportunities of addressing climate change.

See Great Green Content’s name in lights here (scroll down and look under “Florida”) and see the breadth of small businesses who have signed on. Also know that big businesses have signed as well – from General Motors to Stonyfield Farm.)

This Declaration was crafted by BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy) in concert with the American Sustainable Business Coalition (of which I am a member.)

What I like about the Climate Declaration is that it focuses on the economic opportunity presented by climate change. From what the scientists tell us, every aspect of life will be affected by climate change. (See Joe Romm’s book “Hell and High Water”.) That’s both scary and enticing. As a green business person already, I look forward to creating simple, engaging content for other businesses and organizations that are shrinking their carbon footprints.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t recognized the enormous risks of climate change. I don’t look forward to fires, floods, droughts – and for me especially – hurricanes in my home state of Florida. But back in college, the first poster I stuck on my dorm room wall said, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” I thought it an odd choice at the time, but I could not get that idea out of my head. Today, I find they are words to live by.

I encourage you or your organization to sign the Climate Declaration. It is open to individuals as well as companies. Please add your name and your voice to this effort. There’s a lot of lemonade that needs making.

So I recently re-joined LinkedIn. I was reading up on how to build a Company page for Great Green Content.

As I read the directions on this page, I noticed the first sentence under “What’s a LinkedIn Company Page” said:

“It’s a central hub where millioins of LinkedIn members can go to stay in the loop on your company news, products & services, business opportunities, and job openings.”

And I thought, oops – of course they mean “millions”.

I continued reading and saw: “Hightlight your products and services”.

Of course, they mean “Highlight“.

What does it say when a company that is on track to make well over a billion dollars in 2013 also puts out poor quality content like this?

I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. But I have to ask, who is looking at your content?

Did you outsource this to India? Did you give this to some overworked intern?

Come on, guys. I cancelled my LinkedIn membership once before. I am back as an experiment now. You’re supposed to be the network for professionals. If that’s true, learn to spell like one.

I confess I have been a fan of Oprah Winfrey for many years. I don’t watch her show, but I read her magazine, O. Among other things, I admire her for being a wildly successful businesswoman who is worth $2.8 billion as of 2013.

What’s Oprah got to do with green business? Take a look at the June 2013 issue. I was happily surprised that the cover announces “Oprah’s New Farm.” Granted the farm is on Maui, but the point is, she is bringing broad attention to the idea of growing and eating local, fresh food. 

She notes that Maui imports almost 90% of its food, and she hopes her farm can start to reduce that number.  While 16 acres won’t feed the whole island, it will be a great example to the residents there of what is possible. Sustainable farming is a huge business opportunity.

I love Oprah’s story of coming full circle.  She was raised on a farm in Mississippi, and felt poor because her family grew their own food. 50 years later, she’s finds that “being on Maui and creating a farm feels like coming home.” 

A business that literally feeds an island AND your soul? Chances are, that’s a green business!

Yesterday, I visited the brand new North Tampa Market and was dazzled. 

Dozens of vendors offered everything from home-made salsas and hot sauces to breads, brats and empanadas. My husband and I bee-lined for the fresh produce, coming away with an armful of tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini and green beans – enough for the week!

But there was so much more. Sustainable seafood from Florida, house plants, raw honey, and fresh cheeses. Baked goods galore (I found out what a hummingbird cake is) and lovely chocolate fudge for our daughter. Also services ranging from landscaping to composting.

It’s a stroke of genius to start this market on the grounds of the Carrollwood Cultural Center. The location is perfect – large and shady with ample parking. There is enough space for live music, tables and chairs to eat at, and plenty of trash cans to keep the place clean. 

It’s exciting to see North Tampa getting the attention it deserves from green businesses. The arrival of Whole Foods at Northdale and Dale Mabry is no fluke. There is huge demand here for fresh, local, organic foods and products and the North Tampa Market helps meet that.

So come on out! The Market is open the second Saturday of every month and will run year-round. I plan to check out the breads from 20 Shekels (which sold out so fast we couldn’t even try them) and to get to know the many other vendors we could only stroll past yesterday.

A market like this is one of the places where the rubber meets the road for green businesses. I encourage you to visit and see if you don’t love what you find there!

First things first. Today is Mother’s Day, so here’s a shout out to all the Moms who devote themselves to making life better for everyone. 

In my case, I would not BE a mom had my husband and I not traveled half way around the world to adopt from China. 

14 years ago this month, we brought home a little girl from Guangdong province who made our lives complete.  Today she is counting the days til the end of ninth grade and making plans for the summer.

Happy families come in many forms. Whatever your family looks like, I hope you take a moment today to celebrate both Moms and the families they sustain.