Author Archive

Most economists forecast the immediate future to be more of the same. Barring something unexpected, the global economy has stabilized to the point that things aren’t likely to get worse but, at the same time, there aren’t any indicators pointing to things getting better anytime soon. The lagging recovery has slowed the flow of investment into green technology and jobs, hindering growth in a sector rife with potential to spur our economy.

Energy and the environment are pressing concerns worldwide but have taken a backseat, for the most part, to restarting the economy. But the efforts made to address these issues do not have to be mutually exclusive. Politicians, academics and industry leaders alike have heralded the promise of green job programs.

And why wouldn’t they? The White House projects the $92 billion in stimulus funding to have created 190,000 jobs when all is said and done. Though many of these positions are waiting for individuals with the appropriate training they are perfectly suited for individuals with construction or building experience, a demographic that carries one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Studies have also shown that an investment in green energy creates more jobs than an equal investment in traditional sources.

There are a number of secondary benefits that come with green investing as well. For example, small businesses stand to reduce a significant portion of their expenses through improved efficiency, savings that could very well translate into positions that would otherwise not be created. Almost every business could improve the efficiency of its operations in some way but generally lack the time and expertise necessary to do so. Going even further, research has shown that occupants of green buildings are observably more productive, an unexpected side effect most organizations would happily welcome.

Worldwide, the economy and energy industry are both in the midst of significant transitions. And neither is progressing as quickly as once hoped. Though it won’t right the ship alone, increasing R&D and investment in green tech, energy, etc. has the potential to address these issues simultaneous, an important quality that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Over the summer I was lucky enough to backpack around Southeast Asia for nearly a month. In my travels I noticed a few very interesting techniques that locals were using to operate more efficiently. None of the techniques were particularly complicated. They were usually nothing more than creative, simple changes meant primarily to save money by reducing unnecessary waste.

My first stop was in Hong Kong, which is one of the densest cities on the planet. The first guesthouse I stayed in was part of a 16-story building that housed both lodging and permanent residences. Inside the room the air conditioning and hot water each had their own switch next to the front door to turn them off when leaving them room. Outside, each story of the building was covered with hanging laundry set out to air dry. I came to find out that electricity in Hong Kong is very expensive and these were some of the minor changes they had adopted to save money.

Bangkok was very similar in this respect. One of the most unique things I saw there was an efficient alternative to the traditional cab: the infamous tuk-tuk. These are golf cart/motorcycle hybrids that cater to tourist and move quickly through the city’s awful traffic. The small-engine and agility in traffic allow the tuk-tuk to use significantly less fuel on a normal trip, saving money for both the driver and the patrons. This is something that many highly populated urban areas could use for short taxi rides and could reduce the number of large, more expensive vehicles creating traffic on the roads.

Many of the most original ideas I saw in Asia were regional techniques that had been in use for generations. The buildings were constructed to minimize A/C use, featuring large windows and breezy hallways. They also maximized the amount of natural light let into a building, reducing electricity costs during the day. Walking and riding bicycles is the preferred mode of transportation for many natives who have little need for a personal vehicle. Simply put, it seemed to be part of the culture to not be wasteful.

My trip to Asia was a great vacation but it could also prove to be useful in my day-to-day life. It definitely sparked my interest in the creative, unique ways I can limit wasting resources (read: money). After all, it doesn’t have to be about inventing a new method or technology, it really can be as easy as flipping a switch.

It never ceases to amaze me when I end up in a conversation with someone who ‘doesn’t believe’ in climate change. For the most part society has jumped on the bandwagon; it’s fairly rare that a person today won’t at least acknowledge that the problem exists. But still, there remains a sizable portion of the country that simply doesn’t accept climate change as a reality and they are passively preventing necessary change.

To be fair, I appreciate that a large number of families and individuals have livelihoods that are directly tied to industries at the root of the problem. Hardworking Americans laboring on oilrigs and in coalmines across the country have everything at stake in the climate change debate: their mortgages, college savings and retirement funds are all based on jobs that may be in danger. These folks have good reason to demand rigorous evidence before conceding their careers and lifestyles.

But these aren’t the critics that I’m concerned with. Their opposition to the concept is both public and expected. More puzzling are the outsiders who simply don’t believe that climate change is real in the face of a near unanimous consensus among the scientific community. This phenomenon is similar to BP’s optimistic ‘worse case scenario’ that they prepared for before the Deepwater Horizon accident. Skeptics are basically ignoring the research, for one reason or another, and don’t seem to realize that this is inconsistent with the rest of their modern lives.

Inherently in science there will always be some level of uncertainty and this is a common stance of skeptics, that climate change is simply a theory and not an absolute fact. This level scrutiny, however, is absent in almost every other facet of the modern world. For example, medicine is rooted in the same evidence-based methodology that climatologists practice yet somehow this didn’t stop us from embracing vaccines, sanitation and prescription drugs. Are we certain about every medical advance? Not even close. But we do know enough that doctors have stopped using mercury to treat illnesses and children aren’t allowed to smoke cigarettes. Agriculture, transportation and communication follow this same pattern, embracing science in spite of the uncertainties for the benefit it can provide.

The cliché line “9 out 10 doctors recommend…” has been used as a selling point in countless medicinal advertisements but could just as easily be applied to addressing climate change. Many people still don’t see the connection. We routinely put our lives in the hands of doctors (MDs) who prescribe modern medicine yet refuse to believe the doctors (PhDs) that research climate, despite the overwhelming consensus of their research. It seems that the modern world has become filled with convenient scientists, content to pick and choose the science they like. In my opinion, this is a job best left to the professionals.

Who is the Expert? (via nature.com)

Everyone has heard about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it has been all over the news since it began more than a month ago. Starting on April 20, oil has been leaking constantly into the ocean at a rate of between 12,000 and 19,000 barrels daily, making it easily the largest oil spill in history.

Though most of the oil remains underwater there are hundreds of miles of coastline threatened by the surface oil slick. If you are like me and have trouble picturing quite how big this oil spill is, or if you have any question of how truly massive it is, I suggest checking this Google Earth tool that allows you to compare the spill to your hometown.

These are pictures of my hometown in Palm Beach County and my current home in New York, or as close as I could get. As it turns out the oil spill is so large it would cover most of South Florida as well as much of the Tri-State area.

This isn’t even the entire oil slick, if you can believe it some is still off-screen.

Can you imagine if the oil spill was happening off the coast of Long Island?

With the well still not shut off, oil continues to spew into the ocean. Even if the flow is stopped soon the oil in the water will plague the region for some time to come; the area hurt by the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill has still not recovered completely. If you are interested in helping, this article from CNN gives an updated list of the organizations recruiting volunteers. These pictures really make you appreciate the extent of this problem so if you are in the region I am sure the clean up efforts could use your help.

Welcome to Green Equations’ Blog. We will be using this section of the website to provide our opinions and perspectives on the all things ‘sustainability.’

To start, let me introduce who we are:

Green Equations is a nonprofit organization created by myself, Wesley Cronk, and my good friend and colleague Ramsay Stevens. We came together over the common belief that sustainable development is a necessary consideration in our rapidly changing world. Our organization is dedicated to the ‘democratization of sustainability’ —- we believe that anyone wishing to make positive changes should have the ability to do so.

One way that we hope to accomplish our goal is through this blog. Today, sustainability-related information is not in regular circulation. Mainstream media often ignores developments and innovations in the field, either because it doesn’t make for good headlines or the content is too technical to convey. Our blog is intended to combat this present bias by providing interesting and relatable stories in a context that makes sense for everyone.

The second way we are forwarding our goals is through our specialized projects. The Green Gains Program is our paramount project. Green Gains provides residential, co-operative, and commercial buildings with no-cost financing solutions to begin energy efficiency upgrades. We view this project as the embodiment of our ideals —- we provide participants the ability to live and work more sustainably regardless of socioeconomic status. To read more about the benefits of this project, feel free to visit our the Projects page on our website. Along with the Green Gains Program, Green Equations offers nonprofit sustainability consulting on a variety of other types of projects with the intention of providing information while saving people money.

I encourage all readers to check out the rest of our site. In other sections of our blog we update readers on interesting news and stories that we are reading, covering topics like energy efficiency, climate change, renewable energy, and green building. Check back for our latest posts or sign up to follow us via RSS.