BP FAKED OUT BY TWIT ... BP has enough to worry about, like dealing with a massive oil spill, do we really need to create additional distractions? A new Twitter account making fun of the company's oil spill efforts has gained popularity online. The fake BP Twitter account launched last week and has already attracted nearly 40,000 followers, far outdistancing the follower count of BP's real Twitter stream, which has about 5,600 followers. Let's stay focused people! The real account @BP_America, provides updates about volunteer efforts, links to video clips and procedures being tested in order to stop the leak spilling oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The fake one is selling t-shirt ideas to satirize an event which has not only resulted in lost lives, but with potentially serious environmental ramifications. Few appreciate witty, online banter more than me, but this isn’t cool. Add me, I’m cool: @greeningofoil.

NEW CHEMICAL COPS ... Gov. Schwarzenegger was joined by executives from Google Inc.; Wal-Mart Stores Inc., YouTube LLC, and designer chairmaker Herman Miller Inc. yesterday to launch a nonprofit group created to help remove hazardous chemicals from consumer products. The Green Products Innovation Institute builds on a 2008 CA state law that seeks to establish the nation's first "green chemistry" program. The institute is meant to serve as a clearinghouse for chemicals in the state, register chemicals and help advance a standard or seal of approval that the groups' leaders hope will be codified into widespread use. The idea is to serve as a third-party certifier of chemicals and a standards developer, in much the same way early-actor climate registries have advanced protocols for global warming regulations in California and elsewhere. Check out more.

LOCAL MARKET LOVERS ... I love my local farmer's market, even if the season is short here in Alaska. Love your local farmer's market too by visiting www.farmland.org/vote to participate in a nation-wide challenge to see which farmers markets can rally the most support from its customers. The goal is to promote the connection between fresh local food and the local farms and farmland that supply it. Let your local market managers know they can go here to register. Voting is open from June 1 until midnight on August 31, 2010. At the end of the contest, one small, medium, large, and a new category, boutique, farmers market will win the title of “America’s Favorite Farmers Market” for 2010. The reward for the winning market in each category will be a shipment of No Farms No Food tote bags, along with other prizes including free printing services from igreenprint and free graphic design services from Virginia based design firm, SQN Communications. And if you have a great market in your area don’t just vote, let us all know where to find it in the comments section below. It’s the season for travelling and I visit the local markets everywhere I go.

SAVE GREEN ON GREEN ... Online natural products marketplace Abe's Market has announced its new Share It discount program, giving shoppers an instant 10 percent off their entire order – simply by spreading the word to their friends and fellow shoppers. Abe's Market features thousands of eco-friendly products for every need – including beauty and skin care, organic chocolates and grilling sauces, green cleaning, eco-friendly toys, natural pet care, recycled yoga mats, and lots more. If you're going to shop online anyway, make sure you check it out. In your shopping cart simply enter the email addresses of three friends to instantly save 10 percent off your entire cart. And don't worry, nothing is required of your friends to complete the transaction or to receive the discount. But your three friends do receive a coupon code good for 10 percent off their own carts. Even better? The discount applies to each transaction, no limits. If you’ve shopped Abe’s before let us know about your experience. 

WORK IT IN ENERGY ... One of our job gurus ran into CH2M Hill's project manager and reported the company's hiring up to 200 workers in June. Both short-term and long-term projects are on the table. He also followed up with a few tips on getting hired in the energy sector: Don't over-qualify yourself. If you want to get hired as an electrician then talk about your skills & accomplishments on similar type jobs. Don't talk about how you ran your own business, what a great project manager you are or that you have a PhD in Electrical Engineering. They won't want to take a chance on hiring you and then having you quit soon after. Second, tailor your resume for the job. Use the same job title in your resume. Those skills listed as requirements in the job ad? Demonstrate that you have those same skills. Describe how you have used those skills before. How was that job similar to the one you are applying for now? Finally, use the same wording. Human resources screen almost all applications. It's important to use the same job title, same skill descriptions, same lingo that was used in the job posting, in your resume. HR screeners are not specialists in a particular craft so there's a very good chance they won't recognize your skills. Your application won't go any further than the inbox. These are are so true. Spread the word and check out openings at www.AlaskaPipelineJobInfo.com.

Contact me! I am Greening of Oil’s social networker. My weekly column is posted on Greening of Oil’s Buzz and Latest news pages.

My email is mac@greeningofoil.com.