Posted in dfw on 19. Jan, 2009
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Dallas has a bad reputation of being a bit behind. Behind in what? Well, you can pretty much fill in the blank there, but progressiveness is the major theme. So what about Dallas and environmental or “green” standards? I’m not saying we’re ahead of the game by any means, but the good news is that Dallas City Council recently passed a new construction requirement to reduce environmental impact. In fact, according to greendallas.net, Dallas is “one of the first major U.S. cities to pass comprehensive building standard for both residential and commercial construction.”
So what does that mean to regular folk like you and me? Not much, unless you’re in the process of building a new home, or you’re an architect or builder. Basically the new green construction ordinance is aimed at reducing energy and water consumption in all new buildings, whether they’re homes or commercial buildings. The city has even put together a Green Building Task Force, which will chip in green recommendations for any private development in Dallas. The city’s aim is to hold both private and commercial buildings to the same green standard, which it defines broadly as reaching “air equality goals.” One very concrete statement made by the city, though, is that Dallas will be the greenest city in the U.S. by 2030. Good luck, Dallas. I won’t be holding my breath, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
As of the new year, the ordinance is now rolling. You can get all the details here.
written by Sarah Toler
It’s really hot outside. We hit 100 degrees yesterday (June 27th) which was our 4th time to hit 100 this summer. Sadly, it’s not even July yet. But one thing we can all agree on, in this time of political debates, technology debates and any other debate… it’s hot outside.
Dallas, from the four years I’ve lived here, has always had hot summers. Most everyone knows that. But doesn’t it seem to be getting hotter as each summer roasts by? I recall moving here in August 2004 and instead of frying and praying I wouldn’t get a heat stroke, I was actually pleasantly surprised to see the temperature gauge read 81 degrees! It was 4:00pm when I read the temperature. It was truly an amazing, beautiful and not-hot day! Now, I realize, that was an anomaly.
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Posted in seo on 25. Dec, 2005
I had the pleasure of attending a DFWSEM meeting in December. For those not in the know, that stands for Dallas / Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association. It was a cozy group of 15 to 20 people from almost as many different local companies. It was a great opportunity for me to meet new people in the interactive marketing and search engine optimization industry.
Since my decision to stick with copywriting, I’ve really enjoyed those SEO types much more. They do the keyword research and analytics while I get to use my talents based on the words they select. It’s a win/win for me.
Anyhow, while some may snub their noses at a smaller professional organization, I give them kudos! The atmosphere was very personable. I warmed up to several people much quicker than I would have if I was drowning in masses of scheming businessmen and women. These people (including the founders of the organization) were very friendly and more than willing to offer advice and help. Granted, some of their willingness to help may stem from the fact that I, as a copywriter, am not direct competition. On the contrary, I am a potential tool in their SEO arsenal. I am told that most search engine marketing firms are limited in growth potential because they have limited copywriting resources.
Well, if that be the case, here I am! I am willing and able to ease the burden. That is the beauty of specialization. By focusing strictly on writing and not SEO research, I can perform at faster speeds while maintaining a very high standard of copy quality. Web copywriting is a blast! I love it. Press release writing is just as enjoyable.
I have high expectations for this group of Search Engine Marketers. They run successful businesses and I look forward to working with many of them very soon.
More to come on The DFWSEM.
If you are looking for a search engine optimization organization in north Texas, visit them on the web at http://www.dfwsem.org. And tell them I sent you.
