At the heart of the adoption curve for clean energy, electric transportation, and sustainability more generally is consumer behavior. If consumers don’t vote in favor of green products with their wallets, the world will remain mired in dirty and abusive practices until the pain associated with that reaches a point that we literally cannot maintain the status quo. By that point, of course, inestimable damage will have been done to our ecosystem, not to mention our very humanity.

But who knows what motivates people? I’m not sure, but I can point you in the right direction. Check out BECC, Stanford University’s Behavior, Energy and Climate Change Conference. It’s focused on “understanding the nature of individual and organizational behavior and decision making, and using that knowledge to accelerate our transition to an energy-efficient and low carbon economy.”

Sounds more than worthwhile to me. I can’t attend every conference, of course, but if I can arrange to be on the East Coast that week, I’ll include at least a day at BECC.

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Water is one of the big environmental themes and it’s becoming increasingly important in discussions as the issue of scarcity poses a serious threat to sustainability in the 21st century.

With this issue in mind, an organization called travel2change has launched a worldwide innovation contest to identify and fund the most creative ideas or proposals for improving the sustainable management of water in travel destinations.

Proposals can be submitted for any travel destination in any country and should fit in the health, environment, education and sport categories. The ideas pool section of the website gives an idea of what people have people logging on the travel2change social network-style website.

The idea is “to generate meaningful and sustainable proposals about how travelers can make a positive impact on the lives of local communities. The interaction between travelers and host communities is encouraged in order to do something “with” as well as “for” the locals. The emphasis is on sustainable project ideas that rethink travel around the theme of water”, the organizers of the competition say.

The contestant with the best idea on each category will be awarded a trip to the country chosen for the project proposal along with support so that their idea can actually become a reality. An additional participant, chosen to have made the most valuable contributions and comments, will be able to join whichever winning trip they choose from the four categories.

The deadline for the first contest is July 10. The ideas will be evaluated on the basis of of creativity, effectiveness, impact, feasibility and sustainability.

We’ll be watching this space to see if anyone combines alternative energy and water conservation.

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

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As Japan is facing rolling blackouts, I cannot help but reflect on my use of electricity. Just sitting here, I have my computer plugged in, my lights on, and my cell phone charging. As I am hooked on electricity, one in four people in the world are without electricity.

It is a disparity that I find alarming.

Lights Out
If living in the dark wasn’t enough of a challenge, two million people die annually from smoke inhalation from costly, carbon-monoxide emitting, kerosene lamps. And the real stinger, the majority of these deaths are under the age of 14, according to the World Health Organization.

These facts were like a blinding light, waking me up. People dying because of their lighting option did not sit well. Especially since a safe, renewable solution, which is becoming more cost competitive, exists – solar lanterns.

A Bright Alternative
You see, I am one of those people who is completely sun struck and overcome with the belief that we should be harnessing the power of the sun and using it as one of our primary energy sources. Upon moving to San Francisco, joining SPG Solar, dreaming daily of solar power and commuting across the Golden Gate Bridge, a whimsical idea for my 30th birthday took root – parade across the Golden Gate at night with solar charged lanterns.

The idea evolved and gained traction after learning about the 2 billion people globally who are off-grid with no access to power and coming across D.Light, a company designing and manufacturing solar powered LED lanterns.

Solar lanterns have revolutionary potential with triple benefits – improve health, education and wealth. By replacing kerosene lamps with solar lanterns, respiratory illnesses will decline and 150 million tons of carbon will be removed from our air annually. Additionally, with safe, reliable light children can study after dark, improving their test scores and reaching higher education. Finally, the solar lanterns allow work at night – from extending store hours to repairing items – improving an average poor family’s income by over 30 percent, according the United Nations Development Programme.

My dreamy 30th birthday idea took hold and the mission to raise awareness, make an impact and celebrate the power of solar light materialized.

The World’s First Solar Lantern Parade – April 9th, 2011
On the morning of Saturday, April 9th, 100 D.Light Kiran solar lanterns will be lined up at Crissy Field, in San Francisco, pulling in a full charge. Once the California sunshine has been bottled, and the sun sets, the community will gather and release the rays at night and parade across the Golden Gate Bridge. Together, we will Light the Night.

We will then pass it forward. Each participant will donate at least one solar lantern to residents in East Timor – a country that has been levelized by war and is without electricity. We will be beaming them bright, safe, reliable, light, a luxury that we get to enjoy daily.

What if we could Light the Night? What if we could help bring power to rural locations? What if we could flip the switch to a safe, renewable option?

We can. Join the World’s First Solar Lantern parade April 9th in San Francisco. Visit www.sunstruck.org to sign-up. Together, let’s become SunStruck and Shine On.

Article by Marissa Muller, founder SunStruck.org

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If you’re an entrepreneur who would like to present your business plan to a set of potential investors, let me make a suggestion. Look into the California Coast Venture Forum (CCVF), a non-profit whose mission is to advise and promote growing companies in markets in California. I’ve had a series of meetings with these folks, and here’s a group that gets it. Their tagline? “Where Socially Responsible Investors and Service Providers Meet Socially Responsible Entrepreneurs.”

Something that impresses me greatly about CCVF is its results; the statistics speak for themselves. Private equity, venture capital and angel investors have made over $110 million in capital investments over the previous 12 years into emerging growth and later stage companies participating in the California Coast Venture Forum events.

Jerry Knotts, the group’s CEO, an engaging and super-energetic fellow who’s been around the block once or twice, tells me that he sees increased investor interest in clean tech, ethical, green, socially responsible, and sustainable enterprises. The main event each year is Clean Business Investment Summit, which aligns the power of capital and clean business principles to build viable, attractive, cleantech, green, socially responsible, sustainable enterprises.

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Director Michael Nash has traveled the world collecting evidence demonstrating the human face of climate change from Tuvalu to the Pentagon, addressing the grim reality of the challenges we face.  Whether man made or natural climatic shifts are causing the most recent temperature shifts, extreme climatic events and a rise in sea levels are visibly affecting people across the world, today.

In fact we have witnessed the strain of merely 300,000 climate refugees from Hurricane Katrina in the United States first hand; one can only imagine how 50 million climate refugees would strain governments across the country.  Not yet an officially recognized status by the UN, it is estimated that there will be 50 million climate refugees by 2011.  Due to increased flooding, storm events, drought and desertification, civilizations are again engaging in nomadic type movements for survival.

The documentary focuses on underdeveloped and third world countries where climate change serves as a threat multiplier for their already stressed populations.  South Pacific countries are already looking to purchase land to migrate their populations to higher ground.  It is estimated that Tuvalu will be the first country to disappear from the map.  The conflict in Darfur, labeled by most as an ethnic battle, may actually be our first major climate conflict as water scarcity in the region adds to the fight for resources after the drying of Lake Chad.

What will happen when Asian rivers, serving as the primary clean water source, fed by disappearing Himalayan glaciers begin to dry.  Food scarcity from drought, flooding, freezing or salt water intrusion will drive food prices up.  Displaced residents, again primarily third world residents, may not be accepted by many nations.  Who will take them in?  Depletion of water, arable land, non-renewable energy sources will all lead to more conflict.  Who will fight?

Climate Refugees is truly a must see for both new and old to the environmental movement, or maybe better phrased a movement to save human race.  Climate Refugees serves as a resounding call to press for attention by world leaders and as soul food and inspiration for those fighting the good fight to keep advancing the mission of the sustainability.

Not yet commercially available, if you are interested in viewing Climate Refugees, look for a screening near you on their website.  Over the next two weeks (Jan 20-Feb 2) US Green Building Council Chapters, led by the Emerging Professional committees, are participating in a nationwide screening effort with over 20 locations.  Miami and New York City were the first locations and kicked-off at packed theaters in both cities.

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2011 World Future Energy Summit to feature a cutting edge global exchange of ideas during January 19th “Masdar Digital Dialogue” in Abu Dhabi

It’s not that often that I get a chance to co-host a world party. But that is exactly what is happening on January 19, 2011 when LiveOAK Media will be honored to join forces with clean energy firm Masdar to host the Masdar Digital Dialogue, an opportunity to “Debate the issues and engage the world,” at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi on January 19th from 5:30-8pm (GMT +4 hours).

Held alongside the “Exhibitor Party” at the stunning Saadiyat Story Gallery at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi on January 19, the third night of the Summit, this compelling live event will bring WFES delegates, journalists and social media enthusiasts together in one place to discuss and debate the hot stories and key themes emerging from this year’s summit – with a unique opportunity to engage with a truly global audience.

The global event will provide the opportunity for participants to both answer and ask important questions of Masdar executives, summit delegates, conference participants and thought leaders from around the world, whether they are attending in Abu Dhabi, tweeting from Tokyo, streaming in Sydney or lurking in London.

So I invite you to join the discussion on January 19 from 5:30-8pm (GMT +4 hours)/1:30-4pm GMT/8:30-11am ET as Masdar executives and thought leaders steer global participants through an engaging discussion about clean energy, sustainable technologies, future cities and more. There will also be an opportunity for participants to become moderators themselves by submitting questions to be asked of special guests, moderators and the larger global audience.

There will be multiple ways to join the Masdar Digital Dialogue on January 19th. For the richest experience, keep up with the entire global discussion by following the real-time dialogue at Masdar’s website or right here at Earth & Industry. Alternatively, you can follow the #TweetMasdar hashtag on Twitter or your favorite Twitter client and keep a special eye out for the questions being asked by the “Masdar Moderator” coming from the Masdar twitter feed.

Of course we would love if everyone could engage the entire two-hour discussion (Moderated discussion and questions will commence at 6:00pm local time, GMT+4/2:00pm GMT/9am ET/6am PT), but we also understand that people have work, school and sleep to attend to so we will make it as easy as possible for anyone to pick up with the discussion at any point, unencumbered by the nagging feeling that they missed the beginning and therefore have no idea what’s going on.

This unique global Digital Dialogue is being held during the World Future Energy Summit, which has quickly emerged as one of the most important events of its kind for political leaders, investors, scientists, policy makers and researchers engaged in energy and environment.

Follow @Masdar on Twitter to keep up with event updates or notices in advance of the January 19 Digital Dialogue and to follow those questions as they happen. If you do decide to join the discussion, which we hope you do, don’t forget to use the #TweetMasdar when tweeting your answers, thoughts and questions during the discussion, otherwise we will have no way to track your valuable contributions and share them with the rest of the world.

What: Masdar Digital Dialogue: Debate the issues. Engage the world.
When: 19th January 2011 at 5:30-8:00pm (GMT +4 hours)
Where: The Saadiyat Story Gallery, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi.
Where else: Desktops, laptops and smartphones around the world.
How: Follow @Masdar on Twitter and use the #TweetMasdar hashtag.
How else: Get the richest real-time experience and follow the debate here.

Article by Timothy B. Hurst, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

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Water is the new oil. The $425 billion global water sector remains at the forefront of industrial, geopolitical, and social agendas because of a growing supply/demand imbalance and trends in water scarcity, quality, and safety issues. Only 3% of the world’s water is freshwater available to humans and the environment, and water scarcity is a growing problem. By 2025, it is estimated that 1.8 billion will be living in water scarce regions. There is a need to better manage our global freshwater resources, and some argue – even create new water supplies.

Saltwater desalination, a process by which the salt is removed from saltwater, has historically been very energy and capital intensive. However, due to advances in technology, the equipment and systems for producing fresh water from salt water could be a compelling answer to the worry as to whether the world could ever run out of fresh water. Desalination is a $5-$10 billion market that is poised to grow at 10%+.

In Southern California, where water is a treasured resource, a desalination plant is taking shape in Carlsbad, just north of the City of San Diego. When completed in 2012, the $350 million plant will provide enough drinking water for 300,000 residents.

Beginning on December 2nd, the Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative will be hosting a conference to highlight the desalination industry. The conference, entitled “Innovation in Desalination: An Answer to Our Water Woes?” will provide thought provoking discussion on what conditions are ripe for desalination solutions as well as technology innovation in the industry.

You can register for the conference here.

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After walking what seemed like a half mile that took the better part of 20 minutes (the plenary is across two highways from the Exhibit Hall!), I arrived to listen to Rick Fedrizzi and Colin Powell at the Opening Plenary of Green Build 2010.

Rumors existed months ago that President Obama would keynote the event, however after much delay, we’ll have to settle for Powell. I hesitate to use the word settle however – this guy is hilarious. About half way through his speech, the audience burst out on several occasions in laughter.

What’s really evident this year is the lack of an audience. An entire row of chairs was empty and the room seemed much smaller than Green Build 2008 in Boston and Green Build 2009 in Phoenix. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if the Sherpa like trek has something to do with this.

Another interesting point at this years event is the size of the Exhibit Hall. As press, we were notified that approximately 1000 exhibitors were here at Green Build in Chicago which may seem large until you compare it to the 1,800 we experienced in Phoenix. The conference is claiming 30,000 attendees but that has yet to be determined. A report from the exhibit hall this afternoon will be a better determinant of that.

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As we decend upon Chicago to immerse ourselves in what is expected to be an epic GreenBuild, I am left to wonder where the industry is headed…

Last year 30,000 plus people moshed through the doors in Phoenix Arizona at Green Build 2009 but after Tuesday night on the showroom floor at Green Build 2010 in Chicago, I am left wondering how many will be pushing through the front doors of the Chicago Convention Center in less than 12 hours. Either way, virtually all of them will be curious about one question: where is the green building industry headed?

The much anticipated Green Outlook 2010 from the folks at McGraw Hill will be out soon and GreenBiz.com’s “State of Green Business” has been released just in time for GreenBuild. The “State of Green Business” is, as usual, written in a passive voice in which the tone overly skirts around getting to the point in it’s quest to uncover advancements in “green.” The Green Outlook however is the much more quoted study referencing the potential market value of the green building sector. It is expected to suggest significant growth in this sector continuing the exponential growth it has experience throughout the 2000s.

Whether looking for trends, networking, education, or the “experience,” GreenBuild 2010 in Chicago will forcast exactly where the USGBC is headed. Membership to what was the largest environmental NGO in the world and the fastest growing NGO in the world, has dwindled from 20,000 members to 16,000 during the past 12 months. The showroom floor tonight demonstrated to me that the spending just isn’t there – Kohler who built a monstrosity covering better than 5000 square feet last year with water features galore, occupies maybe 1/5 of that space this year. Although I didn’t make it everywhere Tuesday night, there was Anderson Window’s massive demonstration, Home Depot’s 2-story structure, and the modular house tours that existed in Phoenix. Where is the USGBC in their growth pattern and how will they continue to impact the green building sector?

This question and others remain – to be continued…

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Eighth annual Wharton Energy Conference to be held Friday, October 29, 2010 at the Union League of Philadelphia

This year we witnessed the negative effects that fossil fuels can incur in our environment and in our lives. Months after the Gulf disaster, the 8^th Wharton Energy Conference wants to open a dialogue among the professionals from large corporations and public organizations that will drive the future of US energy in the coming years.

The Wharton Energy Conference will be sponsored by the Wharton Energy Club, an independent, student-run organization, for the eighth year.  The subject of the conference, “Energy’s Future: Bridging the Gap”, is hoped to be the start of a –in words of the organizers- “coordinated effort among traditional, alternative, and innovative sources while aligning political, regulatory, and financial opportunities and interests”, necessary to achieve a “successful and sustainable energy portfolio”.  The conference will take the form of a series of keynotes and panels organized by tracks: traditional energy, alternative energy and innovation, and regulatory, policy and finance.

The first track will address the controversial state which oil, gas and nuclear currently play and will analyze the future for these sources of energy. Executives from large US corporations such as ExxonMobile, Exelon, Shell, as well as service providers and energy M&A bankers will analyze the situation in North America and its effects in the rest of the world.

The alternative energy and innovation track will feature the present and future of renewable energy, smart grid, and energy efficiency. The panels will specifically address the current situation of entrepreneurial companies in the renewable sector, the current state of financing in the bioenergy industry, and will explain why investing in energy efficiency is key to reduce energy consumption.

The last track aims to put the previous two to task. It will cover the existing regulatory, policy and finance aspects of traditional and alternative energy. Representatives of different energy organizations will discuss the future of North America’s investment in energy, beyond the Recovery Act of 2009 that allocated $80bn to the renewable sector. They will also analyze the international trends in carbon markets and the opportunities that new regulation will create in the future. Then, finance experts will explain the rationale behind investing in energy. They will analyze in what conditions investments are attractive to funds and venture capitalists, what the risks and opportunities are, and finally they will try to find an answer to the question “are the alternative and traditional energy industries really at odds? “.

At CleanTechies we want to give you the opportunity to attend the 8^th Wharton Energy Conference for FREE! As media partners of the event, we have 4 passes to give to our readers. Send us an email for your chance to win!

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