R.E.preneur

Arizona's Own Espresso Pundit: Brand Awareness

So much of public policy is either right or left.  It's hard to find someone who can make intelligent points that appeal to both sides of the spectrum.  Take a few minutes this weekend and watch this video by Stewart Brand.  Not only is it extremely interesting but it's also likely to change your perspective. 

via www.espressopundit.com

Blogger Greg Patterson points us to a great video via Ted Talks from Stewart Brand. Brand, a pioneer of the environmental movement never stops evaluating the difficult choices our Planet faces going forward.

If you're interested in Arizona politics and assorted other topics, Greg writes a very entertaining blog which is always worth reading.

Why The Downturn In The Economy Will NOT Kill Cars 2.0

If you haven't noticed lately, the blogs have all been clamoring with pessimistic talk about how scared they all are that the slide into recession will kill promising green transportation concepts. 

While this was a legitimate fear a decade ago (thanks C.A.R.B.) when oil was still $10-30 a barrel, the aberration of volatility that was 2008 has shaken the core of the auto industry. 

As the Big 3 fly into D.C. on their G5 and leave with their pockets full they know they must throw a hail-mary pass by going back to their days in the Ivy league MBA classrooms and whip up a promising new business plan for Cars 2.0. 

Detroit has resisted true innovation for... at least 50 years.  The fallout from this is unemployment in the metro area hovering just over 10%.

Thomas Friedman couldn't have said it better when he noted that if the Big 3 fail, the government auto bailout will be viewed as a massive government handout to the typewriter industry at the dawn of the computer. 

Whether the Big 3 succeed or fail, they will kill themselves trying (hopefully figuratively) and they will be well capitalized by the American taxpayer. 

The Detroit corner offices have taken notice of the throngs of start-up auto manufacturers with promising pre-production vehicles that are radically differentiated from the heap of turd, inefficient, stylistically-bland products that the Trifecta has been stamping out for the past two decades.

Project Better Place, Aptera, Tesla, Fisker, Th!nk (someone please give them some money), Smart, Mini E.  Each and every one of these companies has more swagger and a more promising business plan than any of the Detroit Trio. 

GM is the trio's lead singer with the 2010 Chevy Volt, a Plug-in Hybrid with a 40 mile EV range.  But if they don’t successfully mass market it and roll the technology out across all of their affiliates by 2015, they are up a creek without a paddle. 

Unfortunately, they've already blown through $1B+ wasting time on hydrogen fuel cells, a technology so completely over-hyped that we all smelled a rat.  Which is the same reason that corn-based ethanol will fall by the way side in 2009.

Ford has previously been leading with hybrids, but the brand is too closely tied to 15-mpg SUVs and trucks that made great sense when Bush was handing out $50,000 tax write-offs to small business owners to buy them.  Even with the return of $2 gallons of gas, the public perceives driving an urban assault vehicle as wasteful and moronic, not to mention removed from reality. 

The hope for Ford is that, although they are bleeding red ink just like the rest, their CEO had the presence of mind to pad the bank account upon his arrival by mortgaging the majority of their manufacturing facilities.  That bought him 18 months, still not much of a runway.

Chrysler is a distant third with out of touch brands like Dodge and Jeep.  The type of innovation it will take to save this company, without more federal handouts, has not been seen since the creation of the internal combustion engine. 

If the suspender-wearing management at Cerberus had two wits about them they would buy Project Better Place.  Seriously, they should buy PBP.  But they won't, because they can't wrap their head around the subscription service business model for personal transportation. 

I Hope Obama has the guts to rip the massive subsidies out of the corn ethanol farmers hands and then give it right back to them by placing an equally massive investment in green infrastructure.  But he must pick technologies that aren’t filled with fatal flaws, which was Bush’s giant green mistake.  Here’s my list in order of best bang for your buck: energy efficiency, solar, batteries, wind, smart grids, ocean, geothermal, and transmission period.  Make your voice heard Secretary Chu, and make your pocketbook green.

Electricity is the only answer to foreign oil independence.  The only rocket-science is in better batteries, which aren’t even a necessity for the industry to thrive, just an added bonus.  We can already see the light at the end of this tunnel.

When the capital markets return, 2009 will be the year that the massive cleantech investment sector shifts wildly to Cars 2.0 start-ups, each with a different way to change the world all over again.  The technology will leap frog with surprising speed.  Have you seen the crazy ideas the guys at EEStor are cooking up?  No one saw that coming, time will tell if it’s real. 

With 2010 already being evangelized as the year of the commercialized Plug-In Hybrid, 2009 will see green feeding the green beast, which equals a whole lot of green.  If you aren’t already dipping your toes in the automotive revolution, hop on board because this train is leaving the station. 

Need some inspiration?  Go watch the stirring documentary, “Who Killed The Electric Vehicle”.  It worked for me.

Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions; mine is to start/help a non-profit tasked with evangelizing the electric vehicle to the uneducated mass market.  Thesis statement: Check.  What's yours?  With any luck, we’ll be seeing green in no time at all.

REpreneur Debates: America's Environmental Consciousness

As part of REpreneur's posts entitled REpreneur Debates, this post is a result of Kyle's comment on the Green Options Blog: Red, Green, and Blue.

A few months ago I began reading the Red, Green, and Blue blog focusing on the politics of environmentalism (and those who feign environmentalism).  I found this post from Jennifer Lance describing how America had "supposedly not budged an inch on their environmental views in the last dozen years.  I chose to disagree. Study the picture below of a Gallup Poll describing the environmental sentiments of Americans that has been taken each year for the last 19 years.

While I acknowledge that the numbers have changed little since their first recording, the graph shows some interesting trends that I believe were misconstrued here.

First, you have the steady decline of the drastic action trendline from ‘96 to ‘03. Paired with the simultaneous steady incline of the “Don’t do any extra” trendline. I believe these can be attributed to the extended disappearance of 1970’s activism and environmentalism.

Furthermore, the trends displayed post-2000 are a result of the harsh language and utter failure to address the issue of global warming used by the embarrassment that is the Bush Administration.

However, after the declines up to that point, Al Gore as well as corporate leaders acknowledged the issue, U.S. environmentalism shot up and we have made huge gains in the last five years.

I foresee this trend continuing, green will not be a fad, it will be mandatory. Those companies who implement the highest standards of green and whom display leadership will increase their brand values tremendously. Corporations who fail at this, will cease to exist without radical overhaul of their business.

Simplifying Global Energy Consumption

Many people have difficulty conceptualizing exactly how much energy the world uses and from what sources that energy comes from. 

With so many metrics for measuring energy such as kilowatt-hours, BTUs, barrels of oil, cubic feet of gas etc, it can be hard to understand what the big picture is. 

Hew Crane of SRI International created a new, more simple metric.  Its called the cubic mile of oil (CMO).  In 2006 the world consumed roughly 3 CMO's of energy. 

credit: SRI International

Michael Kanellos wrote an informative article on CNET expanding the picture of global energy consumption.  He paints a fairly grim picture for weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels, as in, nice thought but it won't happen anytime soon.

Fortunately, he also ties the subject to other important issues such as the coming water crisis which is already beginning to impact the global population.  Water is one of the clearest areas where the effects of global warming can be seen. 

Global warming, caused by the fossil fuel emissions creating the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere, means that although we may not run out of fossil fuels anytime in the next century, is it ethical to continue accelerating the rate at which we use them?

There is the contention that fossil fuels with carbon capture technology must play a key role in providing energy for a growing world, and I generally agree with that. 

Here's the problem though: we can roughly quantify exactly how much time each fossil fuel that was created over millions of years will provide us.  Each year we use more of those precious fuels than we did last year.  By most estimates we may have 100-150 years worth of all fossil fuels to feed us.  Which will only be valuable to us if we find away to remove the greenhouse gases that are associated with burning fossil fuels. 

So we can see the end-point from here. We have the knowledge that the task to develop renewable energy is formidable, seemingly unfathomable.  Where is the balance between pursuing carbon capture technologies in order to clean up our growing fossil fuel appetite and an all out abandonment of fossil energy in pursuit of and mass investment in developing economies and societies that are fully dependent on energy that is renewable, sovereign, independent, and clean?

I understand that the solution to growing energy needs is a cornucopia of technologies applied to each energy source existing and being developed now.  However, I feel like all of the energy expended in cleaning up fossil fuels is energy taken away from renewable energy.  So while those efforts had good intentions, in the end they leave us worse off than we were before.  Deeper into our fossil addiction.

Bridging The Political Gap On Climate Change: The National Security Issue

Though the global climate crisis is widely accepted and becoming more popular in politics, there is certainly a large gap between the two parties on how quickly to act and what sacrifices or investments to make concerning the issue.

The current issue of Time Magazine has a great article chronicling the recent shift towards bi-partisan climate change politics. 

"I have focused above all on issues of national security," Warner said after the bill passed committee. "I see the problem of global climate change fitting squarely within that focus." For Warner, unchecked global warming could create a world that is inherently more dangerous for the U.S. Acting to mitigate climate change was another way of keeping America safe. It's a message that resonates with Americans who would sooner log a tree than hug it, and raises the possibility that conservatives and liberals might find common ground on climate change.

Last year saw a raft of studies tracing the linkage between global warming and global instability, and none was more influential than a report released last April by the CNA Corporation, a Pentagon-funded think tank. A team of 11 high-level retired officers — including Marine General Anthony Zinni, former head of U.S. Central Command, which has responsibility for the Middle East — termed climate change a dangerous "threat multiplier." If unchecked, the report warned, warming could lead to resource wars, environmental refugees and failed states in already vulnerable regions of Asia, Africa and the Middle East — the very places where you'll find American troops today.

Is America moving closer to a consensus on climate change legislation such as a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system? 

Last week, President Bush's speech in the Rose Garden was received as a distinguishable shift in his administration's views on climate change.  Will President Bush walk the tree-hugging walk in a last ditch effort to alter the way history remembers G.W?

Or will America have to wait until our lame duck leader exits the oval office, replaced by one of three candidates who have all sung an environmental tune that is distinctly distanced from the current administration's accomplishments? 

What say thee?

Follow up on An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore's most recent TED talk has been posted online.  If you haven't watched the Inconvenient Truth, this is a shorter (20 minute) talk that will allow you to take a simple test. 

If you watch this talk, and feel absolutely no urgent need to take some sort of personal action to solve the Global Climate Crisis than you are officially a moron. 

I used to think a lot about being politically correct.  But now, with all of the evidence so strong, I can't stop thinking about ways to get people off their aces.  I feel like I need to shake my entire generation into waking up from their obsession with consumer electronics and celebrity gossip and somehow convey the message that there are causes worth fighting for out there. 

I know, there was a time in my life when I didn't really get environmentalism, but come on, we're in college now.  In six weeks I will have graduated.  I'm scared that my graduating class is more concerned about what new ring tone they just bought for their iPhone than how their working life will affect the planet.

Just so we're clear on how much I take this to heart, here is a list of my current projects around this concern (not meant to brag, more to the point of: if you're not doing anything get off your ace):

• Trying desperately to finish a documentary highlighting the work of students, staff, and faculty from across the U of A working on sustainability/green projects
• Applying to be the convocation speaker at The Eller College of Management's 2008 graduation ceremonies.  An attempt to inspire 500+ graduates to consider "doing well by doing good" in 3 minutes
• Submitted an application to Property & Environment Research Center's Summer Week-long camp on Free-Market Environmentalism.  After all I called it "the opportunity of a lifetime", how could I not apply?
• Still working on getting a job developing renewable energy in America (or anywhere for that matter), if you are in this field and looking to hire a passionate young people with an entrepreneurial education, email me.
• Tomorrow, I will begin a new project (right like I have time for this) to develop solar power in a new way in the US.  Its not 100% original, but I haven't seen it done anywhere else in solar, and I think there may be some key advantages to this new approach.  Vague enough for ya?

As you can see, I have many projects.  If you think that you can help me, or would like to sponsor any of these projects, I'd love to talk with you.

In fact, that gives me a great idea.  Why on Earth have I not sought out a sponsor in much the same way that the FABULOUS PBS series e2 (that's E squared or the economies of being environmentally conscious) has been sponsored by Autodesk.

I wonder what Tucson businesses would be interested in sponsoring my video. One more project to keep in the air. 

New AWEA report: Wind Generation By State

Hat tip to the website Environmental Leader which I discovered after rummaging around through Al Gore's new WE campaign website.

If you haven't heard of the WE campaign, you gotta check it out.  It is a collaboration, supported by the non-profit Alliance for Climate Change. 

I love the Action Alerts that allow citizens to send messages & sign petitions to politicians, business leaders, banks, and the press urging them to consider and act on global climate change now. 

Back to the report.  Out today by the American Wind Energy Association, the AWEA Annual Rankings Report summarizes leading wind supporters by state, congressional district, managing owners, manufacturers, IOUs, Public utilities, and rural electric cooperatives.  Its really quite well done.

Plus the writers knew that executives hate reading long paragraphs, so they pretty much summarized everything using pictures, charts, graphs, and lists.  Love it.

Anyone looking to invest in Wind energy?  From the report a market share breakdown by manufacturer. 

BoP Solutions: Light Up With Renewable Energy and LED's

I used to think non-profits were boring.  I think the issue was really that most non-profits do not convey their message well, or are not addressing a compelling issue. 

Light Up The World Foundation isn't like that.  From the website:

Light Up The World Foundation (LUTW) is the first humanitarian organization to utilize renewable energy and solid-state lighting technologies to bring affordable, safe, healthy, efficient, and environmentally responsible illumination to people who do not have access to power for adequate lighting.

So now you are asking, what's solid state lighting (SSL)?  Good question. 

Commonly referred to as LED's, Light-emitting diodes have been used in the US for years as digital power indicators on TV's, computers, radios, etc.  Previously, they were only able to emit low amounts of colored light.  But recent advances in the technology have allowed for bright white light to be produced from an amount of energy an order of magnitude smaller than with traditional incandescent light bulbs.

That means that a few LED's put together into a small lamp can be powered by a very small 5W solar panel and long-lasting battery.  This means that families no longer have to use inefficient, expensive, dangerous, unhealthy kerosene lamps in order to light up there homes at night. 

Check out this short ten question quiz from their website that explains all of the issues that the foundation is solving with these new technologies. 

I would encourage you to watch this short ten minute video chronicling how the company got started and how they are providing affordable lighting solutions to the two billion people in the developing world.  After watching the video, consider making a donation to the Light Up The World Foundation that will help them light up schools, aid stations, and orphanages in places like Papua New Guinea, Tibet, Ecuador, and South Africa. 

Predicting The Future: Environmental Trendwatching

EnviroNerd Alert!!!

Ask me what the current generation needs in order to become active in the debate over global climate change and here's what I say: Start Paying Attention!

Stop watching TV.  Turn off your cable.  You can get all the entertainment you need from the internet.  But you need to start actively educating yourself on the effects and trends of global climate change and how you can participate as part of the solution instead of adding to the problem.  All of this can be done by videos and organizations currently on the internet. 

Read my blog, watch the videos I put up, they just might boggle your mind.  The global effects of climate change are incredible.  Tortilla riots due to rising corn prices affected by biofuels and oil.  Regional droughts increasing dramatically.  Global water resources being vastly depleted.  I could go on and on, but the World Resources Institute does it faster, more intelligently, and add another degree of credibility.

The video below from late December is an hour long, so make some time for it if you care at all about the macro trends that will play out in 2008.  This is important information for all citizens of the Earth to understand so that you can prepare your family, your profession, and your business for the effects global climate change.  That is, look both ways before using up all the world's natural resources. 

This video correlates very closely with an accompanying Download trends-to-watch-2008.ppt , so I would recommend downloading that and following along. 

There are a lot of trends that I am excited about such as the fact that Central (concentrated) Solar Power (CSP) is now considered to be cost-competitive with other forms of conventional power generation.  Additionally, companies in China, the U.S., and Europe are engaging in heated competition and making great strides towards reducing the cost of photovoltaics.

The stories about how rapid weather changes caused by climate change in Australia caused that country to focus on that issue more than any other in their most recent elections.  The newly elected prime minister signed the Kyoto protocol on his first day of office, no small promise considering Australia's per capita energy consumption.

For Americans, the big question is how will climate change affect this country's 2008 presidential elections.  As WRI notes, only Bill Richardson, John Edwards, and Barack Obama consistently speak favorably about the need for proactive legislation from the top down to address the issue (And the last man standing is...).

 

How will the world respond to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing (right), boasting some of the poorest air quality standards on Earth.

An hour really is not too much of your time to hear from respected experts about what is happening around the world with climate change. 

I'd love to hear your feedback on the video as well as how you plan to take action in your own life.  Comments always welcome.