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Entry bubble Visa Lottery

By: Joanne | October 27, 2009 | Category: General

statue of liberty

Would you, or someone you know, like to become a U.S. citizen? Then you should know that the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is accepting applications until November 30, 2009. Some call it the Green Card Lottery, but the official program name is the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Each year, this program makes 50,000 diversity visas available to people who want to be U.S. citizens. Winners are drawn by a random selection among all entries.

The eligibility requirements are strict, and to qualify, there are work experience requirements, education requirements, and a prospective immigrant has to come from a country that has low immigration rates to the United States. Still, it’s a great opportunity.

Over the years we’ve seen many websites posing as official U.S. government websites that charge a fee to help people enter the Diversity Visa Program. Don’t be fooled, you can apply for free.

Good luck!

| Post a Comment | View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: card   citizen   diversity   green   immigration   joanne   lottery   visa  

 

Entry bubble GreenGov Challenge

By: Colleen | October 21, 2009 | Category: General

GreenGov

Attention federal employees!

When people complain about the way the government operates, usually nobody knows how to fix it better than those who are caught in the eye of the storm.

Now, federal employees are welcome to share their ideas and voice their opinions in the GreenGov challenge.

GreenGov is part of President Obama's signing an executive order on Federal Sustainability- where the federal government commits to leading by example and building a clean energy economy based on how it operates.

The GreenGov website allows you to submit your ideas and suggestions directly. Some of these ideas will be presented later as agencies are building their environmental plans and long-term strategies.

What suggestions do you have to make your agency more efficient?

Even if you're not a federal employee- how has your company improved its carbon footprint?

**Colleen is losing sleep and years off her life because of Red October: GO PHILLIES!**

| Post a Comment | View Comments [8] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: carbon_footprint   efficient   energy   green   greengov  

 

Entry bubble Play the Green Card Lottery

By: Joanne | October 07, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

the statue of libertyEach year lots of people interested in immigrating to the U.S. send us email about the Diversity Visa, also known as the Green Card Lottery. There are many types of Visas, but what makes the Diversity Visa different is that it awards permanent resident visas to people who meet the basic eligibility requirements, and the recipients are chosen by a computer-generated random lottery drawing.

The U.S. Department of State is now accepting applications for the 2010 Diversity Visa Lottery and you can apply until Noon EST on December 1, 2008.

When people write to us about the Diversity Visa Lottery, they often ask about third parties that offer to “assist” with the application process for a fee. We know that there are scammers that operate fraudulent and impostor websites so I want to point out that the U.S. government is the exclusive operator of the Diversity Visa Lottery. Any third parties, like agents or brokers who offer assistance, are not affiliated with the U.S. government, and if you decide to use an agent or a broker, chose carefully and remember that you probably can complete the process on your own at no charge.

For the lucky winners, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has a great guide for new immigrants, and prospective immigrants can learn a lot about various parts of the U.S. by contacting state travel and tourism offices.

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: card   diversity   green   immigrant   immigration   joanne   lottery   visa  

 

Entry bubble Green Spring Cleaning

By: Sommer | March 21, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

cleaning solution, orange rubber gloves, sponges, and scrub brushYesterday was the first day of spring so it’s time for annual spring cleaning again. But, how many of you, like me, dread the process because of the smell of traditional household cleaning products? Fake pine, lemon and orange just don’t make me think “clean” they make me think “hard to breathe” and “headache.” And the residue some cleaners leave behind is just gross!

I’ve recently tried to learn about less toxic products I can use to clean the house. Luckily, my research turned up tons of ways to clean without using toxic chemicals and store-bought cleaners.

Some basic staples to keep on hand for green cleaning include:

  • Vinegar: My favorite product to use around the house, plain white vinegar, works as a fabulous all purpose cleaner and it doesn’t leave behind toxic smells or residue. I mix equal parts water and vinegar and keep it in a spray bottle. A couple squirts and a clean rag go a long way to sprucing up the house. Vinegar with a sheet of newspaper works great for cleaning windows and mirrors while a spray of the water and vinegar mixture on the bathroom sink in the morning freshens it up for the rest of the day.
  • Baking soda works great as a mildly abrasive scouring powder. Used on a damp sponge it can even get a kool-aid stain off the kitchen counter! This natural deodorizer can also work wonders in a refrigerator, pantry or clothes closet to keep the air fresh. Hey, any product that can keep kitty litter smelling fresh is a miracle-worker in my book.
  • Lemons and lemon juice are nature’s bleach and disinfectant. I love to use lemons to freshen my garbage disposal. Sprinkling some salt on a lemon you've cut in half makes a great disinfectant and deodorizer for a cutting board.

When making your own cleaners use caution. Make sure you read all labels closely and follow recommendations. Never mix products that turn toxic when combined including bleach with ammonia or vinegar.

Here’s to a clean, green house this spring!

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bakingsoda   chemical   clean   green   lemon   organic   sommer   spring   toxic   vinegar  

 

Entry bubble Going Green on St. Patrick's Day

By: Jake | March 17, 2008 | Category: General

Four Leaf Clover

Today is St. Patrick's Day, and it is a great holiday for me because the world is immersed in my favorite color. Most people with (this includes me) or without Irish-American heritage wear green, some bars dye beer green and cities like Chicago dye their rivers green.

While St. Patrick's day is an official holiday in Ireland, it is not a federal holiday in the U.S., so we probably won't see too many federal buildings in the U.S. with green banners. Federal agencies are starting to think green though. Last year President Bush signed an executive order that requires federal agencies to "go green" and achieve 11 goals in the coming years in order to become more environmentally friendly.

Here on GovGab we've posted about ways you can "go green" by recycling, composting, conserving water or even growing your own Christmas Tree and we still have a way to go before we cover every way you can conserve. In the meantime, take a look at the Environmental Protection Agency's website, and if you looking for a way you can go green today, check out these green St. Patrick's day recipes.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: environment   green  

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