It’s not you. It’s them…

A lot can happen in four months when you’re doing the next right thing.

You may have noticed I don’t post a lot on here. Honestly, I’d much rather read your posts in the ten free minutes I might find in a day than spend it writing something of my own.

It’s not that I can’t write.  I prefer to spend my time in other ways.

I’m going to bet you have something like that in your life, too…

You know… the tasks you *could* do if you wanted to, but you never make them a priority?  Yeah.

Everyone has ‘em.  I bet my business on that.

As you can guess from my silence, business has been good.

While you won’t get any argument from me that content rules, you will find that I personally don’t subscribe to any school that tells me I must run my business a certain way (or else).

For many who blog, content is the key to attracting visitors and buyers.  I rely on proven successes and word of mouth marketing.

Is one better than the other?

For me, yes. My way is better than the other.  For you, it may be reversed.  Totally cool.  Can you imagine how boring the world would be if we all needed and did the same things?

Of course, diversification is usually a good strategy, so I still write. I just don’t do it as much for my website.

If I’ve learned one thing since starting Renewabelle, and especially since shifting the focus of my business earlier this year, it’s that you need to do what’s right for your customers.  It’s all about them.

My ideal customers know I write because I do it for them.  They didn’t hire me because they read a blog post on my site.  They hired me because someone else I’ve worked with told them I was awesome.  They’ve seen my finished products.  My ideal customer appreciates the walk over the talk, so I walk.

Yours may want something different. Do that.

And if you need help, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m here, working my ass off and doing whatever the next right thing for me is in that moment. While I’m not able to take on new project management and execution opportunities right now, I may be able to get you going in the right direction.

Just keep on doing whatever it is you do best and don’t stop believin’…

As always, I thank you for taking the time to read this and hope it finds you well.

XO,

RB

PS: Remember when I said I do write sometimes? Well, the good folks at Copyblogger put up one of my pieces today. Head on over and drop some love on it, will ya? THANK YOU!

Filed Under: Smart Strategies, Work-Life Balance

Renewabelle, interrupted.

When I started Renewabelle in 2006, I was stuck in a mindset that restricted me to discussing topics related to my field.  What I didn’t realize was that I was shortchanging you by keeping my focus so narrow.

This all started one day last October when I was driving through a cornfield, blaring The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary” and singing the wrong words (as I am sometimes wont to do) when it occurred to me that I don’t sell green, I sell strategy.

Everything I’ve done in my professional life has been about project development and execution.  Some big stuff, some little stuff, but all of it involved smart strategy and pragmatic plans of action.

So, here we are…

Today is March 4th (or March Forth, if you’re into word play) and I am thrilled to show you a site that captures what I actually do.  I hope you like where I’ve gone.

See, everybody has a dream. A calling. Something that feels like it could really happen, if only…

I want to be the person to help you get rid of that “if only” part.

Let’s be real here…  Most of the excuses you have for delaying hot pursuits are really about logistics.

Where you see barriers, I’ll help you find solutions.

And when I say “I’ll help you,” I don’t mean I’m going to sell you a 48-page information product that will synopsize any number of books you could buy at your local bookseller.  I mean, I want to work alongside you.  I want to do things with you.  I want to be your partner in crime (or otherwise).

This has been a very exciting, scary and sometimes insane journey to get this service offering out there.  While I continue to rock the energy industry on a daily basis, I’m eager to apply my wicked research, development and execution skills to your unique needs.

Rest assured I’m still available to talk green or efficiency with you if you have questions, but from here on, you can expect to see me writing more about strategic development and project management.  If you ever have questions relating to any area of my experience, please know you’re welcome to call or write me.  I’m still the same Jess and I still adore you.

More than anything, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter and see what you think.  Consider your life, what you want from it, and whether someone like me could help make your dreams a reality.  Because really, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather work with than the lovely people who have been around since the start.

If you have any ideas, suggestions or questions, I would love to hear from you.  Truly.  Hit me up and tell me what you think.  Until then, I’m going to keep on droppin’ science and moving mountains…

I hope this post finds you well and that life is making you smile.

XO,

RB

 

 

Filed Under: General musings, Smart Strategies

Are CFLs killing you?!

Prior to Sunday, I had never seen the press surrounding a Trent University professor’s claims that CFLs were quietly destroying my health.  When I first saw the video that Maura shared, I was very skeptical.  And mildly concerned.

We recommend CFLs all the time and I have personally witnessed the significant advancements they’ve made over the last few years.  They’re quicker to light, more efficient to operate and far less expensive than they used to be.  So why hadn’t I heard about their plot to kill me?!

Probably because there isn’t one.  What we have here is a sensational story that spins something you’ve probably known your entire life…

I’m going to guess that at some point, you’ve been told it’s not a good idea to put your head in or near a microwave in operation.  Why? Because it produces waves that may or may not be bad for you.  No need to risk it.

What this story is talking about is something real.  Well, the loaded name “dirty electricity” refers to something real, anyway…

Droppin’ science, droppin’ it all over…

Electromagnetic fields, or EMF (no, not that EMF), radiate from obvious sources like power lines and transformers and perhaps less evident electronics like computers and cell phones.  You probably read about the push to limit cell phone use because studies implied negative health effects could result.  It’s because of the EMF.

Opponents claim that the blood sugar of diabetics will climb and that asthma in children worsens when near these magnetic fields (no, not those Magnetic Fields).  They have studies to prove this, though overall agreement on the matter remains largely splintered with contradictory results abound.

Most of the time, the studies that show links between horrific health issues and EMF surround enormous amounts of radiation.  There’s a rather large difference between the amount of EMF from a power line and from a CFL.  That’s not to say it’s totally “safe,” but there are much bigger fish to fry when it comes down to radiation exposure.

If you wanted to completely protect yourself from EMF radiation, you’re going to need to ditch your computer, cell phone, portable house phone, TV, alarm clock, and just about all other electronics you have in or near your home.  Fortunately, no study has been able to consistently prove your use of a computer will definitely cause a brain tumor (though I strongly suspect extended exposure to Badgers will do just that).

Back to the video…

The original source of this information came from a YouTube video, posted by a company that sells (you know it) electromagnetic radiation detection and safeproofing services.  They were interviewed as part of the story, which was delivered by CBC Montreal.

This 2009 story is not easy to find on the CBC website, though I was able to find that Health Canada was planning to test the safety of these bulbs.  After that, the coverage on the potential dangers of CFL stopped.  Health Canada completed their study on the ultraviolet radiation and magnetic fields from CFLs this past January.

Regarding both EMF and UV exposure, test results showed that CFLs (single or double envelope) do not pose a health hazard.

There certainly are measureable effects that come about when you spend a great deal of time within an inch or so from the bulb, so you should probably avoid that.  Risks are significantly lessened the further you are from the source.

(Note: You may have noticed that the “readings” shown in the news video were done within an inch of the bulb, which wasn’t even plugged into a real lamp. Thank goodness that expert was there to show a product he sells that could save us from the readings he provided.)

Deep breaths…

The bottom line here is that your CFLs are not going to kill you.  Sure, they can get hot and may burn your face if you stay too close to it for an hour or more, but that’s hardly a reason to continue using inefficient light bulbs.

Consider using LEDs if you can afford them, which produce no “dirty electricity” and significantly less heat.  Otherwise, keep on using your CFLs in a responsible fashion.  Just remember this important piece of advice:

If you hear a ringing sound, don’t answer the lamp.

With that final tip, I’m off…  A few quick notes before I go:

  • I’m not a doctor or an EMF scientist.  It’s best you consult a medical professional if you think there’s a chance magnetic fields are actually affecting your health.
  • If you have an energy-related question that you’d like me to answer in a future post, tweet @Renewabelle or get in touch with me one of a few other ways over here.
  • If you have any follow up questions or notes you’d like to add, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.  I hope this information proves useful and that it finds you well.

RB

Filed Under: Energy prattle Tagged With: , , , , ,
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