The GA gave a talk on the emerging green economy to 65 students and 14 staff of the UNH Upward Bound program, last Wednesday ,in Murkland Auditorium, at the University of New Hampshire. Upward Bound is a federally funded educational opportunity program designed to help high school students from low income and first generation college backgrounds, prepare for college in a multitude of ways. It includes a six week internship on the UNH campus that combines college preparatory academics with cultural experiences and a summer long training in teamwork and group dynamics, along with twice monthly meetings with participants in their schools during the academic year and a host of other support activities. (For more information on Upward Bound go to www.upwardbound.unh.edu and/or to its Facebook fan page. From within Facebook search for UNH Upward Bound and it will lead you right there.)

This was the third in their summer series on important topics worthy of discussion and exploration within the summer program but outside of their normal classroom experience. Sarah Brown, co-founder of the Green Alliance, spoke about the founding of this organization and the promoting of green businesses. Sarah told how the GA showcases the plethora of ways in which almost every business can become more green. She got the group's attention by pointing out that the greening of America in response to climate change is not only found in "sexy" industries like wind, solar, and biodiesel generation, but in the everyday changes that business after business is instituting to become both more efficient and more responsive to the needs of a changing climate.

Students asked many far reaching and thought-provoking questions about how they might involve themselves in green jobs in the future. While Sarah described the GA as an organization dedicated to marketing both the idea of running environmentally responsible businesses and the products of environmentally responsible businesses, she led a lively discussion about the multitude of ways young people can begin to tackle the very real problems of climate change.

Dan Gordon, Director
UNH Upward Bound