It's no secret that businesses are starting to sprout up touting their green credentials. In the bay area, I've seen a whole lot of companies that have made a fortune out of "green consulting." Still, I volunteered for a non-profit that had dependable monthly donations in solar cells for low-income housing, which proves that the technology can trickle down to the most marginalized of our society.
Recently a New York Times feature showcased the movement behind green businesses. Such businesses have broad missions from manufacturing non-toxic and biodegradable products, to companies that try to make a business out of making others more sustainable.
Because of my natural entrepreneurial spirit, I am always fascinated by these environmentally conscious companies, but always somewhat doubtful of their abilities to turn a profit. Today's market seems to favor those who cut corners. But until then, I will savor such optimistic stories, and I will continue to sit back and wait for the winning formula.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
There's Hope In Fast Food
There was an uplifting article today in the Washington Post. Chipotle Mexican Grill is moving to 100% locally-raised pork for its carnitas burritos in all 700 of its Charlottesville stores. That's nearly 5 million pounds of naturally fed piggy meat a year.
This is a significant milestone for an industry plagued by unsustainable practices and decrepit moral values. I was beginning to doubt that with the USDA's favoritism towards McDonalds lobbying groups that there was any room for sustainable and organic food business models. Ok, so there is certified USDA organic, but it seems like that label can be smacked on almost anything.
Thank God we have Chipotle. The fast growing fast food chain has worked persistently to bring small farms into the distribution circuit, and their decentralized philosophy is helping local go national. They have bold goals of having all of its meat be locally raised in the near future, and they are grabbing organic ingredients as fast as the market will let them.
And their food is uber delicious.
This is a significant milestone for an industry plagued by unsustainable practices and decrepit moral values. I was beginning to doubt that with the USDA's favoritism towards McDonalds lobbying groups that there was any room for sustainable and organic food business models. Ok, so there is certified USDA organic, but it seems like that label can be smacked on almost anything.
Thank God we have Chipotle. The fast growing fast food chain has worked persistently to bring small farms into the distribution circuit, and their decentralized philosophy is helping local go national. They have bold goals of having all of its meat be locally raised in the near future, and they are grabbing organic ingredients as fast as the market will let them.
And their food is uber delicious.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
7 to 1
7:1 is the ratio of garbage to recycling bins at Florida, by my unofficial counting on the way to lab this afternoon. In short, Florida sucks at recycling.
I'm pretty environmentally conscious about my waste, so having limited recycling bins is only making the experience for those around me more unpleasant. Currently there is a nice pile of yellowish papers by my trash can, and before Jess visited last weekend there was a rather sophisticated pyramid of PET bottles on my desk. I'm not a squirrel (shocking, I know), so hoarding my trash isn't my forte.
What I realized today is that really miss is the recycling mindset of SCU (my alma mater for those who don't know). On that campus I always felt that it was inconvenient not to recycle. There were always eyes watching and judging me to see where I placed my piece of dirty plastic. When I went to a lecture a month ago on climate change, which ended up being a regurgitation of Al Gore's documentary, I asked the lecturer (who is a professor in my current department of Materials Science) why there weren't more recycling bins. It seemed like a stupid question. I got an answer that was more or less "why is this relevant." At these types of lectures, scientists have a tendency to cop out to big policy. They say, "our school needs to ratify the Kyoto Protocol" or "we all need to support renewable energy and buy fuel efficient cars" as if there were a team of administrators in the back that were going to respond "oh really? That's what we have to do? ok!" Hello...we're broke...we can't afford Priuses or renewable energy.
What I want is a simple, money saving solution that will also be good for the environment (and my hygiene, I guess). I would like one recycling bin outside my office so that I don't have to disgust my co-workers with my trash sculptures. I want to know that people are just as concerned with the little solutions as they are with the big.
I'm pretty environmentally conscious about my waste, so having limited recycling bins is only making the experience for those around me more unpleasant. Currently there is a nice pile of yellowish papers by my trash can, and before Jess visited last weekend there was a rather sophisticated pyramid of PET bottles on my desk. I'm not a squirrel (shocking, I know), so hoarding my trash isn't my forte.
What I realized today is that really miss is the recycling mindset of SCU (my alma mater for those who don't know). On that campus I always felt that it was inconvenient not to recycle. There were always eyes watching and judging me to see where I placed my piece of dirty plastic. When I went to a lecture a month ago on climate change, which ended up being a regurgitation of Al Gore's documentary, I asked the lecturer (who is a professor in my current department of Materials Science) why there weren't more recycling bins. It seemed like a stupid question. I got an answer that was more or less "why is this relevant." At these types of lectures, scientists have a tendency to cop out to big policy. They say, "our school needs to ratify the Kyoto Protocol" or "we all need to support renewable energy and buy fuel efficient cars" as if there were a team of administrators in the back that were going to respond "oh really? That's what we have to do? ok!" Hello...we're broke...we can't afford Priuses or renewable energy.
What I want is a simple, money saving solution that will also be good for the environment (and my hygiene, I guess). I would like one recycling bin outside my office so that I don't have to disgust my co-workers with my trash sculptures. I want to know that people are just as concerned with the little solutions as they are with the big.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Solar Sells
That's not just a play on words. It's the truth. For those of you who do not watch CNBC, Google/Yahoo Finance, or your private online stock-broker, now is the time to start. A quick search will yield a myriad of investment mumbo-jumbo, so let me break it down:
- Last year solar stocks had a blockbuster year. Most major clean-energy funds that contain solar stocks in their portfolios gained nearly 50%. That's huge (especially to poor college students like you and I). Some individual stocks like First Solar, which makes a certain type of thin film cell, rose something like 200-300%.
- Worldwide silicon supply is experiencing a shortage. What does this mean? Well, it means that solar companies will have a tougher time making new products, which will affect their growth and earnings. First Solar (mentioned above) may not be able to sustain 300% growth. HOWEVER, what is also true, is that the companies that MAKE and SELL silicon to solar cell companies, can basically demand whatever price they want. Since there are only a handful of companies who actually do this right now, and even less who are publicly traded, I'm willing to place a well-educated bet that the CEOs of these companies will probably be getting a new Ferrari (or two) by the end of the year. :) And we may finally be able to pay off our college debt.
- The House just approved $17 billion in new renewable energy funding a month ago. Thanks to good ol' George Bush, this funding may never be spent (except for say, a "cleaner fuel source" for tomahawk cruise missiles), but it shows that Congress is ready to put some serious cash into the "clean-tech" industry. Match that with the billions that are already being poured into new companies in Silicon Valley on the scale of the dot-com era Venture Capital, and it's a pretty good indication there are quite a few people who have faith in these companies. As soon as we get a new president in office (Republican or Democrat) the floodgates will open.
- At the time of this writing, oil is $110 a barrel which translates to a national average of $3.22 per gallon of gas and will probably be pushed up to $4 soon enough. I won't even mention the gazzilion numbers of products that are made with oil or energy from it which will undoubtedly raise prices all-around. While that means investing in Exxon is pretty much guaranteed money, it also means for the investor with a *hint* of a conscience that renewable energy companies are getting plenty of attention (and funding).
Now, I don't want to sound like the messiah here and help you gamble all your money away. Like any good investor, I should put a disclaimer on my statements: with all that being said, solar stocks are still risky. Many are trading at nearly 18 times their earnings (eerily similar to the dot-com bubble syndrome), and some don't even have a legitimate product out yet. You practically need an iron stomach to handle the roller-coaster ride. But for those of you who do good research, you will see that the fundamentals are there. People want solar. There is much money to be had.
- Last year solar stocks had a blockbuster year. Most major clean-energy funds that contain solar stocks in their portfolios gained nearly 50%. That's huge (especially to poor college students like you and I). Some individual stocks like First Solar, which makes a certain type of thin film cell, rose something like 200-300%.
- Worldwide silicon supply is experiencing a shortage. What does this mean? Well, it means that solar companies will have a tougher time making new products, which will affect their growth and earnings. First Solar (mentioned above) may not be able to sustain 300% growth. HOWEVER, what is also true, is that the companies that MAKE and SELL silicon to solar cell companies, can basically demand whatever price they want. Since there are only a handful of companies who actually do this right now, and even less who are publicly traded, I'm willing to place a well-educated bet that the CEOs of these companies will probably be getting a new Ferrari (or two) by the end of the year. :) And we may finally be able to pay off our college debt.
- The House just approved $17 billion in new renewable energy funding a month ago. Thanks to good ol' George Bush, this funding may never be spent (except for say, a "cleaner fuel source" for tomahawk cruise missiles), but it shows that Congress is ready to put some serious cash into the "clean-tech" industry. Match that with the billions that are already being poured into new companies in Silicon Valley on the scale of the dot-com era Venture Capital, and it's a pretty good indication there are quite a few people who have faith in these companies. As soon as we get a new president in office (Republican or Democrat) the floodgates will open.
- At the time of this writing, oil is $110 a barrel which translates to a national average of $3.22 per gallon of gas and will probably be pushed up to $4 soon enough. I won't even mention the gazzilion numbers of products that are made with oil or energy from it which will undoubtedly raise prices all-around. While that means investing in Exxon is pretty much guaranteed money, it also means for the investor with a *hint* of a conscience that renewable energy companies are getting plenty of attention (and funding).
Now, I don't want to sound like the messiah here and help you gamble all your money away. Like any good investor, I should put a disclaimer on my statements: with all that being said, solar stocks are still risky. Many are trading at nearly 18 times their earnings (eerily similar to the dot-com bubble syndrome), and some don't even have a legitimate product out yet. You practically need an iron stomach to handle the roller-coaster ride. But for those of you who do good research, you will see that the fundamentals are there. People want solar. There is much money to be had.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Yes, I did.
I know. Everyone and their mom seems to be getting a blog these days. The truth for me is that this is not the first time. For those of you who remember, I was once a member of the Livejournal community. That was the time I found a blog useful for cataloging my adventures with the crew team, complaining about my awkward and inconsiderate freshmen roommates, and commenting relentlessly on teenage angst.
Now, nearly 5 years later, I feel just a little more mature. Just a bit. I hope this blog will be a distillation of my daily briefings of various news-sites, and my increasing knowledge base of technological solutions to looming worldly problems. I don't want to be another doom and gloom reporter, but rather a breath of fresh air. This will be a place where I can highlight different aspects of a movement that is coming into full force, but still has a long way to go to undo the damage that has already been done.
And, as with anything associated with my personality, I hope this blog will not be taken too seriously. I like to have fun...and sometimes lines are crossed. I can guarantee that this blog will be fun to read. So let me offer one hurrah for my entrance into this community, and one for the environment. I like this place we call Earth, and hopefully I can introduce you all to some greener ways of living.
Now, nearly 5 years later, I feel just a little more mature. Just a bit. I hope this blog will be a distillation of my daily briefings of various news-sites, and my increasing knowledge base of technological solutions to looming worldly problems. I don't want to be another doom and gloom reporter, but rather a breath of fresh air. This will be a place where I can highlight different aspects of a movement that is coming into full force, but still has a long way to go to undo the damage that has already been done.
And, as with anything associated with my personality, I hope this blog will not be taken too seriously. I like to have fun...and sometimes lines are crossed. I can guarantee that this blog will be fun to read. So let me offer one hurrah for my entrance into this community, and one for the environment. I like this place we call Earth, and hopefully I can introduce you all to some greener ways of living.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
