2nd Green Revolution » Justin Manger

FFF: Fastest Growing Metropolitan Regions in the World

Justin Manger — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:27:08 +0000

A very comprehensive report by The Brookings Institute reveals just how rapidly the cities of the developing world are growing. In the midst of the largest human migration from the countryside to cities, the report portends a rise in living standards for millions as well as highlights the challenges in sustainably providing energy and food for the inhabitants of these thriving metropolises.

The Brookings report analyzed “per capita GDP (income) and employment changes in the 2010 to 2011 period for 200 of the world’s largest metropolitan economies, which account for nearly one-half (48 percent) of global output but contain only 14 percent of world population and employment.” The study reveals that,

Ninety (90) percent of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies among the 200 largest worldwide were located outside North America and Western Europe.
By contrast, 95 percent of the slowest-growing metro economies were in the United States, Western Europe, and earthquake-damaged Japan.
Dallas and Houston, Texas were the only two cities in North America to make the top 40.
The highest per capita GDP of all the metro areas studied was found in Hartford, CT.
10 of the top 40 cities are found in China, including Shanghai, the fastest growing metropolitan region in the world in 2011

Largest Windfarm in U.S. Slated for Wyoming

Justin Manger — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:21:43 +0000

Even given the backlash over the very public bankruptcy of solar panel maker Solyndra, the Obama administration remains set on pushing clean energy. It has fast tracked plans for the largest windfarm in the U.S., a 2,000 to 3,000MW facility that will consist of 1,000 wind turbine generators and be built just south of Rawlins, Wyoming. Called the ChokeCherry/Sierra Madre Wind Project, the project should get final Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval in the next few months. The BLM site has detailed information if you’re interested. The plan is to feed the electricity into the grid. Since it’s only a couple hundred miles from Ft. Collins/Denver/Boulder, perhaps it will boost the percentage of green energy for that metropolis.

The largest windfarm at the moment in the U.S. is the 781MW Roscoe Wind Farm facility in Texas. For comparison sake, there are 29 coal fired power plants in the country with more than 2000MW capacity.

Today’s Moment of Zen

Justin Manger — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:46:55 +0000

No, not that moment of zen. This one is closer to the real meaning inherent in that phrase, which has to do with the notion that wisdom (along with compassion) is expressed in the everyday through yourself, people, and nature, if you can reach a certain state of perception. I’m not a practioner let alone an expert, but zen can lead to “holistic perspective in cognition” that allows the person practicing zen to recognize and celebrate “with a stillness of mind, a life of tending toward the concrete thing-events of everyday life and nature.” That’s getting a little over my head, but more can be read here if you’re interested.

Anyway, last week we had snow in Tokyo. The next morning, as I was walking to the train station, the sun had just risen and its rays were warm enough to start melting the light dusting that had fallen on the treetops. Throw in a little wind and the result was a flurry of light snow falling all around the woods while the sun shone in a blue sky on a crisp day. The video below doesn’t do full justice, but does pick up a bit of the atmosphere. Crows can be heard in the background and the whole scene was one of serene calm amid the sprawling suburbs of Tokyo. This is why I walk through the park everyday on my way to work.

While we may have insulated ourselves somewhat from the chaotic and harsh whims of nature and the elements, we have become almost too far removed from it at times. For all it’s destructive and awesome force, the natural world is gorgeous, whether it be at the tiny scale of a lady bug on a leaf or at the hard-to-take-in vast scale of the Grand Canyon. If we are to truly become sustainable, we cannot forgot our dependence on and inseparability from nature. In the precious 3 minutes of calm and quiet I walk everyday through a small park in the largest metropolitan area on earth, that fact perhaps hits home more than ever.

[Image and video from author]

“eBay for Rentals” Rentstuff Goes Nationwide

Justin Manger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:57:47 +0000

Take a quick look in your closet. Or your attic. Or your garage. If you’re like most Americans, you’ve got tons of “stuff,” a lot of which you use rarely, if at all. It seems like someone, somewhere may be looking for something that you have. It sounds like there may be a trade waiting to be made. It also sounds like there may be a business model there. But how do you get the would be renter and rentee together? Enter Rentstuff.com. Rentstuff describes their site as similar to “an an eBay for rentals. It allows individuals to list anything they have like lawn mowers, photo equipment, music gear, handbags and dresses, party supplies and more to rent out to other individuals for money.” Once a connection is made, the site facilitates setting up a meeting so the item can be rented.

Founded by twin brothers Robert and Chris Jaeger, the site launched in August 2011 and “has just opened everywhere in the US. Our first key target markets have been Nashville [but] RentStuff recently opened their website for use across the country.” However, until users populate the site with “stuff”, some cities may not have items available yet. This is part of the larger “collaborative consumption” movement (think Airbnb, Zipcar, Skillshare). It is also a way for people to make some money in a still lethargic economy with high unemployment.

The video below gives a quick overview of the service.

It does seem pretty simple and can all be done over the internet and mobile devices. You can answer inquiries from renters through the messaging system, then contact the other party to confirm pick-up details. Once the meeting takes place and both parties are in agreement on the rental, payment can be securely sent and received securely through text message.

With the site now open across the country, it seems like the idea to rent stuff may be catching on. Next time you’re looking for an item you need on a temporary basis, think about trying to rent it instead of buying a new one. This form of reusing may save you some cash while being environmentally conscious.

[Images from marketing director via email]

Obama Returns to Energy Theme in State of the Union

2nd Green Revolution — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:04:52 +0000

As he has done previously in talking about the state of America, President Obama had several things to say about energy in Tuesday night’s speech (transcript here). For one, due to a surge in domestic oil production, imports of foreign oil have fallen to the lowest levels in 16 years and “American oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years.”

Though there wasn’t much new in terms of policy, Obama did lay out a bold goal for clean energy, saying that the U.S. can get 80% of its electricity from clean sources by 2035. This includes natural gas, of course, which is cleaner than coal but not a renewable energy source.

The idea of domestic energy and national security was mentioned a few times, a recurring theme recently. Obama specifically envisioned “A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.” While biofuels were not mentioned by name, the president did acknowledge that with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, “This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.”

As is the tradition in presidential addresses, Obama cited working class individuals who were in the audience. In particular, he mentioned Bryan Ritterby, a formerly out-of-work furniture maker. Ritterby was hired at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan.

Obama also argued that the country needs to “double-down on a clean energy industry” by passing tax credits. Furthermore, he called for a clean energy standard to spur innovation. Calling out Congress, he directed the “administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3 million homes.”Fortunately, the president did not overlook the low-hanging fruit of efficiency and conservation. He proposed to “Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.” Estimates from these improvements come in at $100 billion in savings on energy bills. This is in conjunction with “less pollution, more manufacturing, [and] more jobs for construction workers who need them.”

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