Commencement ... Now What?

Summer time and the living is easy. Or is it? If you're a student and you've just loosed yourself from the rigors of academia for a spell, where do you turn? What do you do? Whether you're looking for a job or information on next semester's project, or just trying to stay cool, the web has some great resources. Here are a few that have just been unveiled or are especially useful for the summer season.

National Academies' Library Now Online

Wondering what's been going on in the world of science? Over the past century and more? Now quenching that thirst for knowledge has become a lot easier. The National Academies is making its vast collection of reports from 1863 to 1997 available online, for free. It's a Google partnership that opens the world of science to the world.

"Much has changed since the National Academy of Sciences began advising the government in the late 1800s," said Victoria Harriston, a manager of library and information services at the National Academies, in a statement.  "Our early reports are essential to understanding the scientific advances made in this country as well as the science and technology issues the government struggled with in the 19th and 20th centuries." The plan is to digitize the entire collection by 2011.

Read the Academies' press release for details. Or check out this highlight by National Research Council from 1984: "The Polar Regions and Climatic Change."

See related article from Nature "Open Access Publishing Gains Another Convert."

Help Wanted - Green Jobs 

Job sites - A number of sites focus in on the nonprofit sector, as well as science and/or environmental jobs. These include:

• www.idealist.org
• www.nsf.gov/about/career_opps (or if you tweet, try twitter.com/NSF_Vacancies)
• jobs.treehugger.com
• sciencecareers.sciencemag.org
• www.nature.com/naturejobs/index.html

Do you have a favorite not on our list? Let us know.

Job types - Want to know about the ten best green jobs? Here's Fast Company's take. 

California job tool - The nonprofit group Environmental Defense Fund has just launched a tool to help job seekers locate green jobs in California. Complete with a map of the state (yes, a Google map), the resource allows users to search by location, Congressional district, company name, and type of company.

If You Can't Stand the Heat ... Make Sure Your AC Is Energy Star

And here's something for you to consider while you're puttering about the house as the temperatures climb. Course, I think you'd have to have had your head in the sand for a while if you haven't heard about Energy Star, a program that aims to identify and encourage the development and sale of energy-efficient appliances. (See my earlier post on the subject.)

It's an especially useful program in these times, as energy efficiency translates into cost savings. So, if you're in the market for an air conditioner, be sure to check out the Energy Star site to do some pre-shopping research.

And even if it's not an A/C unit you're looking for but some other household item you plug in, be sure to check out Energy Star's wide range of products. For example, check out the list of efficient televisions if you're eyeing a new set as the switch to digital television nears (which is June 12, 2009 for all you procrastinators). From appliances like clothes washers and refrigerators to home electronics and lots in between, Energy Star products help you be better to the environment and your wallet.
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