Florida Making Headlines in Sustainability Budgets

Guest post by David Hancock

Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist has signed three executive orders directing cuts in Florida’s greenhouse gas emissions and put $2.1 billion into efforts to promote clean energy and protect the state’s resources.


According to the state’s 2010 budget, Florida’s primary focus appears to be on the utilization of solar power, to the tune of $44.4 million dollars, which includes solar panel installation for education facilities and tax rebates for solar energy. Other aspects of the budget’s energy initiatives were clean energy from such sources as natural gas fueling stations, providing clean energy grants, and wastewater treatment to which Florida allotted upwards of $50 million.

Wastewater treatment was of particular concern due to the survival of an ecosystem that covers nearly a quarter of the state, Florida’s Everglades region. The state is proposing spending $20 million in matching funds on projects related to wastewater management and water quality programs.

“As we continue restoring America’s Everglades and investing in renewable energy, Floridians will gain a cleaner and safer environment that will endure for generations to come,” Crist said, in a statement.

Clean Energy Ph.D. Fellowships Available at UCLA

The "Clean Energy for Green Industry at UCLA" is a brand new fellowship program that just started this year for students pursuing a Ph.D. at UCLA. It is an interdisciplinary program for first year graduate students and is funded by the National Science Foundation. The program focus is on clean green science as well business and policy. You can find more information at the program website, http://cleanenergy.ucla.edu/

Breakthrough Generation Fellowship Program for Clean Energy

Are you ready to help create a new national clean energy economy? If you are between the ages of 18-28, The Breakthrough Generation is accepting applications for their Fellowship Program. The Fellowship Program will select 10 individuals to receive $5000 grants and provide all expenses to attend three summits/conferences.

Their website states that proposals should seek to "achieve on-the-ground local solutions and build the larger movement for bold national action on clean energy." The ten proposals selected "will be determined by the quality of their project idea, their demonstration of a strategic plan and an ability to carry out its implementation, and the fulfillment of three overarching principles" as described below:

1. Clean Economy: does the proposed project accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy?


2. Empowerment: does the project empower others, particularly young people, to advance progressive social change?


3. Transformation: does the project's local component have high potential to be replicable and scalable to support larger-scale transformation?

The deadline for applications is March 21, 2008.