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Punxatawney Phil’s ‘six more weeks of winter’ prognostication lacked a certain punch this year, given the mild winter weather enjoyed in much of the lower 48 so far.  If this is winter, bring it on, many residents are thinking.

As I donned a light spring jacket to run some Saturday errands and bustled out to a car warmed by no more than the February sunshine, I noticed thick green stems poking up several inches from the flower-bed mulch.  Daffodils in Detroit!  I must get that garden-seed order in soon (and is it my imagination, or did garden catalogues arrive weeks earlier than they used to?)  A few minutes later I wheeled past a two small-engine showrooms with forlorn “Great deals on snowblowers” signs; one even had a dozen of the shiny virgin machines parked hopefully on its tarmac.

A weak winter is the best of times and the worst of times depending on one’s line of business.  And the presence or absence of snow and cold during the months it’s expected can ripple throughout a regional economy long past the first day of spring.  So you might want to take a look at winter winners and losers, and talk to them about the long-range effect of seasonal booms and busts.

For example, sagging snowthrower sales may seem like a trite story angle … till you delve in and realize the lack of commissions means the small-engine sales rep won’t be buying a new car this year, or buying new furniture, or sending a child to camp or college.  So for this story, try to go beyond the immediate loss or gain in revenue and find out how that change will affect other businesses and individuals.

According to an EarthSky forecaster,  this January was the third least-snowy since 1966.  As this Associated Press story, “Balmy weather brings plenty of economic surprises,” mentions, retailers are plagued with excess and profit-eroding investory of unsold winter merchandise – like bulky coats that take up storage space and must be unloaded even at discounts of 70 percent or more.  (The AP story is an excellent roadmap of ideas you can apply locally, from airport de-icing services to sales of cold and flu products.)

Electric and gas utilities sales are down as households and businesses demand less heat-producing power — bad for them, great from a personal finance angle.

Where I live, ski resorts recently published an advertising supplement; was it planned or a last-ditch effort to counter unfavorable conditions, I wondered.  This report says nationally, lack of snow has – surprisingly - minimal effect on occupancy at resorts due to booking and refund policies; presumably vacationers made plans predicated on normal precipitation.  But what are they doing once they arrive?  Perhaps spas, retail boutiques, driving ranges, restaurants and other alernatives to the slopes are enjoying some winter sparkle.

Construction employment hit a two-year high in January as the gentle weather kept activity levels high, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.  How are remodelers, builders, handymen, fence installers and others faring in your area, and what’s the ripple effect on suppliers, hardware stores and related services?

If you’d rather look further ahead, check on seasonal businesses gearing up for spring. Are pool companies, deck builders, window cleaning crews, patio furniture firms and others gearing up for a jump in business?  Are they borrowing more to finance inventory, or hiring additional staff, or otherwise changing from recent years’ business model?

Agriculture is eyeing the 21012 extended forecast, with last year’s drought and flood survivors wondering when and what to plant this year.  Are they shifting strategy?  What about nursery suppliers – the U.S. Department of Agriculture just changed the plant hardiness zone map that millions of home gardeners use to decide which plants will survive in their yards.  This is a fascinating development on a number of fronts – many locales ended up in warmer zones – and probably affects the purchasing and sales plans of regional nursery retailers and wholesalers as well as consumers.  It’s hard to go wrong with a business-of-gardening story and this year already is sprouting with many good angles.

Of course, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration site is an excellent resource too but for a different perspective, look into companies like WxRisk.com, which focuses on weather forecasting and commentary aimed at businesses and traders.  You’ll gain an idea of why, say, the weather overseas might end up affecting a corn grower in Nebraska or a Texas rancher.

This is the third in a four-part series by Colin Tetreault on energy and its effects on the business world. Tetreault holds a Master of Arts from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability and is a sustainability consultant and expert to numerous organizations.

No single source of energy is without consequences from its respective production. The move to protect natural resources and have more environmental protection is not without tradeoffs itself.

Unintended consequences and economic and environmental externalities permeate our energy supplies and choices. The National Academy of Science has an insightful report on the Hidden Costs of Energy , which  details some of the specific impacts choices of energy supplies have on local economies, environment, and health. It’s probably not surprising that some of the biggest public figures in energy (coal, gas, petroleum) contribute to significant environmental degradation, unincorporated negative economic impact, and causes lingering health concerns. According to the report, the aggregate damages caused by adversely impact the environment amount to more the $120 billion for 2005, alone.

In order to help reign in environmental protection, several policy-based solutions have been proposed to help mitigate emissions production while trying to minimize the impact or positively impact the overall economic environment. The Congressional Budget Office details many of these policy options and their potential impacts (positive and negative) in a report on how environmental protection plays into a greater economic milieu.

Not to fear, there are alternatives. We have renewable energy production, right? Solar, wind, and biomass will certainly fill the void of energy needs while simultaneously reducing environmental impact, right? Author and scientist David MacKay discusses the implications of land-use and unintended environmental consequences of some renewable energy pursuits.

So how is it possible promote responsible energy use and environmental protection? A few seminal federal pieces of legislation include: National Environmental Protection Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (aka Superfund). How are these being applied – and potentially contested – in your region?

When it comes down to it, how do we incorporate the externalities into our current and future energy production? Some questions for you to dig into in your area may include:

• How do renewable energy technologies designed to have a positive environmental impact, have a potentially deleterious environmental impact?
• What organizations are working to incorporate and lead the way in blending environmental protection with a robust system of governance and economics? Look to the Northeast, Acid Rain Program and its SO2 trading. Are there local examples moving towards this type of regulation?
• What notable advances in environmental protection in your area that have resulted in increased economic and business opportunity

Here are some additional resources on the intersection of environmental protection and business:

•  Land management, agricultural productivity, and the downstream impacts on the Gulf of Mexico region from farming and land use in the Mississippi watershed region.
•  The multiple stories of nuclear waste storage and disposal. With Yucca Mountain on an indefinite hold, what is being done in your region around nuclear waste storage or disposal?

This is the second in a four-part series by Colin Tetreault on energy and its effects on the business world. Tetreault holds a Master of Arts from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability and is a sustainability consultant and expert to numerous organizations.

The hard truth of our energy situation is that our thirst and desire for energy is increasing. As population inevitably increases, our desire for more energy parallels it. This brings us to the issue of energy efficiency.

Do you remember your parents or grandparents’ avocado green or harvest gold refrigerator? While it was the harbinger of tasty treats, it also hummed like a neighborhood transformer and used nearly as much energy. Surely, the items we use on a regular basis have become more energy efficient, no?

Let me pose this question: How many televisions, computers, and electronic gizmos did you have in your house growing up? What about now? Hard truth: Our U.S. energy use, per person is up 39 percent from 1950 levels.

Finding additional sources and increasing the available supply of energy will only get us so far. For a sustainable future, energy efficiency should be pursued in all areas of society. While a comprehensive list of all efficiency opportunities would be too much for this post, here is a truncated list of coverage opportunities:

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards present a ripe area for increasing the efficiency of a major source of energy consumption. Are there local, municipal, or state regulations in your area that require a higher fuel efficiency that the national average or potential use of alternative fueled power options like LNG, CNG, biofuel, or hydrogen? The impact not only drastically impacts carbon dioxide production, but can add up to significant expenditure savings.

Built environment standards for efficiency, like LEED, green building construction and retrofits can make a significant impact on energy consumption. According to the U.S. Census, there were 131 million housing units, of which nearly 75 percent were single-family units. What significant steps has your region made in energy efficiency for built structures? Are there unique examples of projects that marry efficiency with those in lower income areas to alleviate costs of inefficiency to those who need it most? Example: California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards have saved the state significant amounts of money, reduced environmental impact, and led to a better quality of life for many people. There is a growing market for energy efficiency firms that help people reduce their footprint and save money. Find some in your local area.

Supporting innovation and entrepreneurial solutions to energy efficiency can lead to a wealth of benefits. The Advanced Research Project Agents – Energy (ARPA-E) invests in a multitude of projects across the U.S. that may lead to breakthroughs in energy use and efficiency. Some of them may be in your neighborhood or applicable to your particular region. The Business Innovation Laboratory and Santa Fe Innovation Park are taking steps to create an innovative community laboratory focused on finding solutions to energy efficiency and other pressing energy issues. Chances are there are unique collaborations in your local area that are finding innovative ways to bring stakeholders together to address the local, regional, national, and global issues of energy efficiency.

Here are some resources for deeper exploration of energy efficiency:

McKinsey & Company: Unlocking energy efficiency in the U.S. economy
American Energy Innovation Council: A Business Plan for America’s Energy Future

This is the first in a four-part series by Colin Tetreault on energy and its effects on the business world. Tetreault holds a Master of Arts from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability and is a sustainability consultant and expert to numerous organizations.

Energy. It’s the singular force that helps keep our lives running smoothly. It brings cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Energy powers our cars for a vacation road trip and  helps to run the computers searching for a cure to cancer. I often justify that extra piece of pizza as “more energy” for my next exercise endeavor. Indeed, energy is the driving force behind keeping the entire Earth moving in a positive direction.

Taken in part from a course I co-teach at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability with the former president of Shell Oil, John Hofmeister, this series will help you dig into energy supply, technology for efficiency, environmental protection, and infrastructure. We will discuss some truths behind energy and topics that you can investigate in your local region. This is a big subject to discuss in just a few posts, so if you have additional questions, feel free to contact me.

Let’s start with the framing and context for energy in the United States.

Trivia question: How many decision makers are involved in setting energy policy, regulating development and infrastructure, controlling market opportunities, and setting the general tone for U.S. energy? Hint: it is more than just the secretary of energy.

Answer: Nearly 1,000 separate individuals, including the president, Congress, about a dozen Congressional committees, 874 federal judges, 50 Governors, state corporation/utility commissions, county leaders, and individual city leadership. That’s a lot of cooks in the proverbial kitchen. That doesn’t include the innumerable businesses attempting to operate and lobby in this space.

Here is a brief primer on the mechanics of energy supply:

1. Photons pay the bills. Energy is neither created nor destroyed. It simply transforms.
2. We live in a closed material system, but an open energy system (sunlight comes in, but nothing leaves).
3. We have a lot of options on how we harness and use our energy supplies.
4. All energy sources, at present, have tradeoffs associated with their use.
5. Depending how you want to cut it, there are 10 sources of energy – 5 traditional (coal, oil, gas, nuclear and hydropower) and 5 alternative (biofuels, wind, solar, geothermal and hydrogen, which is technically a carrier, but we’ll include it for now).

In order  to dig into your own local stories, you must first understand where we get our energy from. Check out the Energy Information Administration to drill down on sources of energy supply by state. Compare the amount of traditional energy production to that of alternative production. Now put that next to a list of projected population growth by  state.

Here is a hard truth: Population is increasing and our associated energy demand, overall and per capita, is also increasing. Can alternative energy supply, at its current rate of development and implementation, keep up with the growth in your area?

There is opportunity for alternative energy supplies to grow at a rapid rate and help us transition from a carbon-based energy system. However, there are constraints to our current system. If fundamental issues on a local, regional, state, and national level are addressed, serious progress towards a more sustainable energy future could follow.

Here are some questions to consider:

• Where do your state and regional energy supplies come from? What is the current mix of energy supply?
• How much energy is your area currently using? Given the rate of population growth in the region, how much more energy is your area anticipated to need?
• What businesses are utilizing unique public/private partnership in order to advance energy supply in innovative ways?

Energy supply is only one piece of the energy puzzle. Increasing the available supply of various energy sources alone does not solve the myriad of issues. The next post will discuss energy efficiency and the role it plays in ushering in a more sustainable energy future.

I recommend some of the following sources for continued learning on aspects of energy supply and setting. These should help give you a holistic perspective on the collective energy supply and future.

General energy readings:

• National Petroleum Council: Facing the Hard Truths - Advisory council to the secretary of energy.
• National Academy of Sciences: What You Need to Know About Energy - A good overview of energy basics.
• U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Outlook 2011 - What our energy future may hold.

Supplies:

• MIT Natural Gas Report - A timely report, as natural gas is becoming more and more prominent in our future…heard of fracking?
• National Academy of Sciences: Liquid Transportation Fuels - Are there alternatives to gasoline made from petroleum? Can coal or biofuels be a supply source?

This is the fourth in a four-part series by Colin Tetreault on energy and its effects on the business world. Tetreault holds a Master of Arts from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability and is a sustainability consultant and expert to numerous organizations.

So far in this series, we have discussed supply, efficiency and environmental protection and how each relate to energy. The preceding aspects of energy exist and operate within a larger general structure and framework: infrastructure.

Infrastructure primarily gets labeled as any physical capital investment or improvement. Look out your windows; notice those high-voltage power lines?

Now put on your X-ray goggles and look beneath you; the veritable cornucopia of civil engineering has provided for a multitude of infrastructure related to energy. Good infrastructure serves to figuratively and literally bridge not only electrons, but cultures together. As a nation that was built upon the premise of cultural enlightenment and Manifest Destiny, we should be proud of what we have been able to accomplish in establishing a complex and sophisticated network of interrelated infrastructure that serves our benefit. That is if we stopped progressing sometime in the early-20th century.

While our infrastructure acts to serve our will silently – often being overlook or ignored – it is often most visible when it doesn’t function properly. While not ubiquitous, we are operating on an energy infrastructure that consists of 3,200 distribution utilities, 10,000 generating units, and tens of thousands of miles of transmission and distribution lines. This is all under the auspices of no true unified national power grid. Yet are you amazed how the lights turn on every time you flick the switch?

Let’s discuss energy infrastructure further in three chunks – physical, political and educational.

Our physical infrastructure is pretty apparent. We have power lines and distribution networks – lots of them – that move electrons from point of production to our wall outlets. What is the significant issue is that we haven’t been able to keep pace with or built a sophisticated enough grid to service the growing number of people and their per-capita demand. To put it plainly, our stuff is getting old. There are opportunities to deploy advanced technologies within our nation, states, and regions that can drastically help balance and distribute our electrical load in a more sophisticated and efficient manner. What are the “Smart Grid” developments in your area?

There is a political side of infrastructure. In fact, it goes in lock step with our physical infrastructure. With so many individual power production facilities – add our desire to drastically ramp up renewable-based production in, often, more remote areas – it’s difficult to connect all the dots. There are lots of rules, regulations, and laws to navigate. There are nearly 1,000 decision makers in the energy arena. That’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen.

Compounding this is an increased number of stakeholders in the process. It can cost a significant amount of money to install infrastructure. For some relaxed Sunday reading, I suggest you look into “citing regulations” within your local region. You will most often find this hot-button political issue embedded within the state-level utility/business commissions and the legislature. I’ll provide an example of one from my home state: Arizona. The Devers-2 transmission line. In short, a very long, expensive transmission line is planned to be built from Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station to California. The California Public Utilities Commission approved it; the Arizona Corporation Commission did not. It is now in discussion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It’s a sticky political knot that is yet to be worked out.

Lastly, infrastructure is educational. I can imagine that some of the preceding may have been news to you. Imagine what it will be to the general public? Do most people think, long and hard, where their energy comes from, how it is delivered, and the impacts of it? A close colleague of mine and a leader in a utility company once said, “We’re in the cold beer and hot shower business” when discussing his customers’ expectations. This is absolutely brilliant. If the shower isn’t hot or the beer isn’t cold, people get upset. Otherwise, it’s pretty lassie-faire. Our current educational curriculum, even in STEM intensive areas, doesn’t often drill down into the integrated world of energy. Should it? How do we help move the needle on aspects of supply (debates on coal, gas, nuclear and wind), efficiency standards (car and power plants) environmental protection (tradeoffs, needs and rules), and our aging infrastructure? Whose responsibility is it?

Some examples of organizations starting the discussion include the Energy Education Council in Illinois and the the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which offers education to state teachers. Also, check out what Ohio does with the industry-funded Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program. I’ll leave it up to your judgment. By whom and how do we educate a new cadre of energy leaders and thinkers? Dig into what is happening near you.

Discussing the future of energy is a complex topic. Here are some additional recommended resources on energy infrastructure and the overall paradigm:

• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: This is the regulatory body around many aspects of energy, especially around interstate transmission. Why is this important? Does your state produce renewable energy? Have you heard about the big plans to blanket many places in Wyoming with windmills? How will your region physically sell the electricity produced?
• State corporation commissions: These are a veritable cornucopia of fun when it comes to the intersection of business and energy. Spend time reading their proposals and upcoming issues. You’ll find lots of story ideas here.
• “Physics for Future Presidents,” by Richard Muller. A great read on a science-based approach to, among other things, energy production and our future. While politics are great at obfuscation, physics can cut through the quagmire.

Here is some information about the jobs from the news organizations who are searching for reporters.

OIL & GAS INDUSTRY REPORTER, Oklahoma

Description: The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com, a multimedia news operation in Oklahoma City, is looking for a multimedia oil and gas industry reporter to help us expand our coverage of Oklahoma’s energy industry. The applicant should have a minimum of 5 years news experience covering the energy industry, with particular emphasis on the financial, regulatory, environmental and operational areas of the oil and gas business. Please send resume to jobs@opubco.com or apply online at: Oil and Gas Reporter.

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience
Contact E-Mail: aknudsen@opubco.com
Mailing Address:
9000 N Broadway, Oklahoma City, OK 73114

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS, FELLOWS, Pittsburgh, Pa.

PublicSource.org is filling two immediate openings for investigative reporters. These are great jobs in a great city, says editor Sharon Walsh. PublicSource Jobs.

PublicSource is an independent news organization supported by The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Heinz Endowments, the R.K. Mellon Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to do in-depth reporting in the public interest.

More from Walsh about the jobs:

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS:

PublicSource, a non-profit news website focusing on original investigative reporting about important issues in Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania region, has an immediate opening for two investigative reporters. The reporters will pursue stories of significance to the region, with a focus on holding the powerful accountable.

Successful candidates will be high-energy, passionate investigative reporters with proven skills in conceiving, reporting and writing investigative pieces that provoke change. You should also be unafraid of risk, excited about helping to build a website that is part of the future of journalism and able to juggle enterprise and investigative stories.

The ability to work well with others is a given for an enterprise that values collaboration both within the newsroom and with other media partners.

We are based in Pittsburgh, a city with a great deal more to offer than the Steelers. It is often on the top 10 lists of most livable cities, enjoys a low cost of living and has a cultural life that other cities envy.

Benefits include excellent health insurance (medical, dental and vision), life insurance and participation in our 403-B retirement program. We’re a non-profit, but offer a salary that is commensurate with your value and experience as a journalist.

Please send a resume, cover letter and writing samples to Sharon Walsh, swalsh@publicsource.org, with the job title in the subject line. Send all clips in .doc or pdf format.

FELLOWS POSITIONS:

PublicSource, a non-profit news website focusing on original investigative reporting about important issues in Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania region, has an immediate opening for two investigative reporting fellows. These will be full-time jobs for recent graduates or Master’s grads who are interested in investigative reporting. They must come highly recommended and have shown that they are interested in investigative and enterprise work. They will work closely with the editor and two full-time investigative reporters that PublicSource is in the process of hiring, as well as with the experienced reporters of our media partners.

These will be rotating, two-year positions and will pay $35,500 a year and will include health benefits and two weeks of vacation. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume clips and three references with contact information to Sharon Walsh, swalsh@publicsource.org, with the title Fellows position in the subject line. Clips must be in .doc or pdf formats.

Hawaii regulators approved a plan Dec. 30 between Hawaii Electric Light Co. and Puna Geothermal Ventures.

As the post points out, fossil fuels still provide most of the power generation in the U.S. — but Solyndra notwithstanding, a fresh look at your region’s renewable energy industry is a great way to localize this interesting tidbit.  And it’s not just for reporters on the utility or energy beats — career, workplace, technology and even real estate or small business writers likely can find fodder. 

If you cover personal finance, consider a story about renewable energy stocks or funds specializing in niche energy stocks.   According to the Wall Street Journal, for example, the first IPO of 2012 will be by biodiesel firm Renewable Energy Group Inc. out of Iowa.  It plans to go public on Jan. 19, selling more than 7 million shares.

According to this recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report on utilities, nearly 600,000 people are employed directly in the industry but those numbers are expected to wane as power plants become increasingly efficient and need fewer workers.  That said, however, the agency predicts that the renewable sector will continue to gain, with renewable electricity generation at the forefront. 

This EIA State Renwable Energy Profiles map is extremely helpful; along with the accompanying grid is shows each state’s renewable energy capacity and annual generation along with national rank — the numbers date back to 2008 but it will give you a starting point.  Talk with your state’s energy and economic development agencies for more leads to the firms, consultants and technology driving renewable industry based on your area’s geography and demand.

Look for small private and even residential installations, too.  On a recent road trip cutting through southern Illinois, I was intrigued by the number of roadside billboards touting geothermal power — that’s a really interesting technology that even homeowners may have wondered about. When I returned home a quick Google search even turned up the Geothermal Alliance of Illinois website — and they have an annual conference coming up in February.  Check out this interesting niche industry in your neck of the woods; consumers wondering about the federal tax credits for geothermal installation will appreciate a pro/con/primer as a sidebar to any business or technology profiles.

And remember to look into companies that supply components and services to power generators, from engineer firmst to turbine producers to chemical makers.   Another place to poke around for renewable energy start-ups and entrepreneurs would be business incubators affiliated with your region’s economic development units, technology corridors or public universities. 

The National Conference of State Legislatures has a legislation tracking database – searchable by state, by topic — that will help you find pending or recently passed energy-related bills; tracing them back to sponors and lobbyists (as well as opponents) could lead to other angles of the renewable energy story in your region.  In fact, the NCSL’s energy portal is a worthwhile bookmark if you hit this topic now and again.

It’s one of many controversial energy-related topics, and rather than get sucked in by the politics of climate change, fossil fuel supplies, environmental concerns and other hot issues (not that they’re unimportant but they’re not necessarily the purview of beat business reporter) I’d stick to finding interersting small- and medium-sized business profiles and spin-off features.

Presentations and panel discussions covered an introduction to covering the green economy, investments in alternative energy, financials of sustainability and supply chain management challenges.

PANELISTS, PRESENTERS & MODERATORS

Click here for detailed instructor bios.

Kelly Carr is a senior online producer at the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.

Marc Gunther writes about the impact of business on society. He is a contributing editor at FORTUNE magazine, a senior writer at Greenbiz.com, and a lead blogger at The Energy Collective.

James Hall is a business sustainability executive with proven success building high-performance organizations.

Kara Hurst is vice president of BSR and plays a crucial role in the company’s global expansion by overseeing offices on the East Coast of the United States as well as BSR’s conference and research teams.

Heather King produces two featured series for GreenBiz.com: View from the C-Suite and Greening the Icons.

Tom Konrad is a financial analyst, portfolio manager, and freelance writer specializing in renewable energy and energy efficiency investing.

Bob Langert is the vice president of corporate social responsibility for McDonald’s, a role that has him overseeing the company’s supply chain strategies and global environmental management systems.

Ido Leffler is co-founder and “chief carrot lover” of San Francisco-based Yes To Inc., the makers of Yes To Carrots, Yes To Cucumbers, Yes To Tomatoes, and Yes To Blueberries.

Adam Lowry is the co-founder and chief greenskeeper at Method Products, Inc. a leading innovator in hip, healthy home care products.

Greg Neichin is the vice president, research & advisory for Cleantech Group where he assists in evaluating cleantech companies and assessing the development of cleantech markets.

Lisa Palmer is a writer and editor covering climate change, energy and green business topics.

Veena Ramani has managed relationships with a portfolio of Ceres companies, primarily from the electric utility and financial services sectors.

Urvashi Rangan is the director of technical policy for Consumers Union, and the project director of Consumer Reports’ GreenerChoices.org.

AGENDA

• An Introduction to Covering the Green Economy — Marc Gunther (moderator) and Kara Hurst
• The Green Economy Flow — Lisa Palmer (moderator) and Greg Neichin
• The Financials of Sustainability — Marc Gunther (moderator) and Tom Konrad
• Sustainable Operations Chat with PODER’s Nicolas Ibarguen — Moderated by Lisa Palmer
• Green Productions, from the Inside Out — Marc Gunther (moderator), Ido Leffler, Adam Lowry and Urvasha Rangan
• The Sustainable Supply Chain — Heather King (moderator), Dow Jones’ David Krein, James Hall, Bob Langert and Veena Ramani

Please view session recording links in modules below.

SELF-GUIDED LESSON

Take a look through the workshop session recordings and resources below. At your own pace, you can walk through the self-guided lesson on the basics of effective green economy coverage.

You know about the last-minute shopping stories, the gift-card policy round-ups and other old favorites (and there’s a reason they are; they’re useful to our audience) – but if you’re looking for the glimmer of a few more ideas, here are few:

Food-service firms.  I’ve noticed  a few of employee cafeterias at private workplaces offering prime-rib lunches and other festive fare around this time of year; check with companies like Aramark and other food-service vendors about their vendors’ demand (or lack thereof for) for special holiday workplace lunches.  How does a cafeteria contractor put on a prime rib lunch for $7.99 – what are the economies of scale, the purchasing tips and are such menus goodwill-inducing loss leaders or money makers for the cafeteria firms?

Don’t forget the economics of providing treats and celebratory meals at institutions like hospitals, schools and  yes, even jails and prisons, as this San Antonio Express article from Thanksgiving alludes to.

Perishables. On a related note, this is the week when durables bow to consumables, from champagne to pistachios to pineapples to Christemas goose.  You can’t go wrong with a feature about what the holiday season means to area grocers, butchers, wine merchants and other purveyors of meals and treats.  Remember caterers, restaurants, food co-ops, local artisanal meat and dairy growers, farm markets, bakeries, vineyards and other sources of gourmet treats when you’re writing about the holiday boost.  Progressive Grocer is a goldmine of holiday ideas related to supermarkets and other merchants.

How are the elves holding up?  I’ve long advocated developing a local “Santa index” by polling area jolly old elves about what they are hearing from kids.  As this Associated Press article indicates, Santa visits can indeed be an informal economic indicator and it’s not too late to ask your area’s mall Clauses about what they’re hearing..

Meanwhile, what’s the status of the traditional mall picture-with-Santa concession?  Has the advent of digital imaging killed the allure of a moment on the knee of Santa, coaxed into a smile by a pointy-shoed photo technician?  This nostalgic annual encounter, memorialized in pop culture from “Miracle on 34th Street” to “A Christmas Story” may be a dying tradition as consumer demand fizzles out

Other workplace issues.  Vacation policies, seniority squabbles about rights to precious holiday-related vacation days, working on Dec. 25 and other contentious issues — how has the trend toward 24/7 retail/transportation/IT availability changed the face of the Christmas Day workforce?  Is it a given in today’s job market that workers will comply?  Are middle-aged employees being forced to work days that formerly were the purview of entry-level novices?

Return policies/After-Christmas sales.  These are self-explanatory; just remember the stories are more helpful to readers before Dec. 24 rather than after.

Tourism and other post-holiday delights.  With Christmas and New Year’s Eve falling on weekends this year, how are resorts and tourist enclaves capitalizing on the calendar’s serendipity?  Are they seeing any uptick?ve

New Year’s Eve.   Bars, restaurants, party/function venues, liquor stores, fashion boutiques, babysitting services — all can serve as a bellwether of sorts.  How do “Welcome 2012″ celebration bookings bode for the year ahead?

Jumping on the sleigh.  I’ve seen holiday-shopping promos from odd sources like dermatologists (Merry Microdermabrasion specials!) to the local electric utility.  What unlikely companies are jumping  on the spending-mania bandwagon and what great deals are out there for savvy shoppers?

Second-hand stores. Whether a sign of the economy or just the demand for vintage goods, it’s a market worth checking into as Christmas Eve draws nigh.  Check out local Criaigslist and Freecycle offers and requests, too, for a read of the pulse of your local used-items market.

“In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, it’s drill, baby, drill.

The drilling that began there in September is not for oil, but for gold, silver, copper and nickel.”

This photo of the Quincy copper mine in Hancock, Mich., was contributed on Flickr by moron958. The site is closed to mining, but open for tours.

Tina Lam

That’s how Tina Lam of the Detroit Free Press starts her two-part series looking at how mineral prices and demand for smartphones, stainless-steel appliances and hybrid cars have contributed to a resurgence in mining for these metals. Her series explores the topic from all angles: environmental, financial benefits to the state, employment and so on.

Her advice to do this: “Spend time with all sides.”

“It’s a very gray issue, and both the pro-mining and environmental issues deserve a close look and serious treatment,” Tina says.

Today’s Tips:

• Ask for documentation for everything. Reporters also should ask if there are flaws in the mine companies’ cleanup plans, and if the companies’ claims for job creation match what they’re telling local people.

• Talk to folks on Main Street. That will give you information about how locals feel about the projects. Also check for public hearings. In tiny Stephenson, Mich., Tina says she found people had mixed views about the employment vs. environmental issues. “They were all happy to talk (though getting them to give names was tough in a small town),” she says.

• Visit the mine or the mining site. Tina says she traveled 1,400 miles to hit all the sites. She suggests visiting twice, once with the company and again with someone who’s concerned about it.

• Find trustworthy experts to help guide you through the rhetoric on both sides. She says the academic mining expert she interviewed knew all the companies well and thought some were better than others. “He was still pro-mining, but knew the risks.”