2nd Green Revolution

Whether you love him, hate him, or are indifferent, Steve Jobs has major street cred. His company makes products that are elegant, well-designed, easy to use, and revolutionary. The hype and excitement that accompanies the lead up to and release of a major Apple product is second to none. Not only that, but the products go on to be wildly successful, while turning entire industries upside down. Think the Macintosh in the computer industry, the iPod in the music industry, the iPhone in the mobile device/phone industry, and now perhaps the iPad in the publishing industry. The presence of Apple has done wonders not only for Apple but for the entire electronics sector. People are excited about seeing the next useful technology and how it is integrated into a computer, phone, or GPS system. All this begs the question: Is there someone who can lead a company to develop breakthrough technologies and integrate them in products in the clean energy sector that consumers will get excited about? Is it even possible to have that in regards to green technology? Who would be a candidate for the role? Read the rest of this entry »

As the first part of a multi-stage revamping of the 2nd Green Revolution website, we are proud to announce that we have a new logo. The design was done by The Creative Armada, a graphic design and web design firm located in the Washington, DC area. We wanted to unveil the logo as the first of several exciting new developments related to our site.

The two leaves sprouting from the “r” symbolize the “2″ in our name and represent the growth and spread of sustainability through green and clean technologies, business practices, and behavior.

- Justin and Eric

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
- Ghandi

What is growth? If one looks at an organism, growth requires inputs (food/energy, micro-nutrients, water, etc). For the economy to grow, massive inputs are also needed, mostly in the form of energy and materials. Currently, the major difference is that the economy relies on nonrenewable resources (fossil fuels and minerals) whereas organisms depend on renewable sources of food. If the economy is to grow in a sustainable manner, nature may be the best guide. This regenerative economy could serve as a model going forward.

Unfortunately, the current model of consumption and increasing technological advancements make for a cyclical pattern of consumption and disposal. Read the rest of this entry »

• American household emissions come primarily from driving, electricity and home heating. Outside of America’s low-car outlier, New York, emissions from driving range from an average of 22,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year in places like Providence and Boston (reflecting about 1,000 gallons of gas bought each year) to an average of 32,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year in places like Greenville, S.C.

• Carbon emissions from San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, California were the lowest among American metropolitan areas, but “are still more than four times the emissions in the brownest Chinese city (Daqing) and 10 times as high as the household emissions in the average Chinese city.”
• The average household in San Francisco uses about seven megawatt hours of electricity per year, which is associated with about 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. The average household in Orlando, Fla., or Memphis, Tenn., uses about 18.5 megawatt hours of electricity per year and that creates about 26,400 pounds of carbon dioxide.

• Average July temperatures are the best predictor of electricity usage.
• Home heating is the third major source of household emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions from that source range from less than 1,000 pounds per year in Florida cities, to more than 16,000 pounds per year in Detroit.

Source: New York Times

Late last year Thomas Friedman was interviewed by Anne Strainchamps on Wisconsin Public Radio’s To The Best of Our Knowledge. The focus of the interview was the current green revolution, what we have taken to calling the second green revolution. He argues that everyone must participate if this is to be considered a true revolution.

In the interview, which can be heard here, Friedman claims that today’s measures fail to qualify as a revolution. He cites the general greenwashing of goods and services and argues that the day when every product achieves the highest energy efficiency will mark the next green revolution. What Friedman fails to acknowledge is that a revolution starts with a small force. However, his observation that “people actually have to change” is an important one. Behavioral changes represent the most daunting hurdle. Read the rest of this entry »

On one level I don’t care about global warming, because it doesn’t matter. On the other, I know it is an incredibly important concern, one that may have drastic effects on society. However, because it has become politicized and polarized, I have steered clear of it. I am a science teacher, but not entirely a scientist in the traditional white lab coat sense of the word. I like to stick to the verifiable and the quantifiable. I do not pretend to know all of the data surrounding global warming – from both sides of the argument – and do not have the background of a debater to refute seemingly specious arguments that “deniers” or skeptics make. Skepticism is one of the fundamental “Habits of Mind” for scientists (along with the incredibly important habits of “tolerating uncertainty”, maintaining “openness to new ideas”, and exhibiting “intellectual honesty”). The latter of which may have been violated in last year’s debate over hacked emails from East Anglia University’s Climate Research Unit in England. However, there is a point at which healthy skepticism may be overtaken by radicalism.

What I do care about – which should be readily apparent for those that read my posts – is ushering in an era of sustainable development. We MUST use resources wisely. Read the rest of this entry »

One year ago today saw the launch of 2nd Green Revolution. We look forward to many more productive years. Thank you to our readers and friends. Please join us on Twitter and Facebook to keep track of the latest stories. Keep an eye out for our redesigned website, coming in the next quarter.

- Justin and Eric

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It’s been almost two weeks since a 7.0 magnitude earthquake leveled much of Port-Au-Prince and nearby towns in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. The outpouring of support and aid to the afflicted region by companies, individuals, and governments around the world has been enormous. What modern infrastructure there was in Haiti before the quake – and that is still usable now – has been overwhelmed in the ensuing relief efforts. For all the tragedy, rescue workers were still pulling survivors from rumble more than a week after the earthquake and even after the Haitian government had officially called off rescue efforts.

The priority is still on treating survivors and trying to bring some sense of normalcy to the chaos. Many of you have already given supplies or money to the ongoing relief efforts and 2nd Green Revolution has also made a small donation. Here are two ways to help out:

•The American Red Cross is providing immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund or through text messages:

• Customers of participating wireless carriers can text message “HAITI” to 90999 and make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Donations will appear on customers’ monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance.

•Clinton Bush Haiti Fund is being run by former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and was created at the behest of President Obama. They oversee the CBHF through their respective nonprofit organizations, the William J. Clinton Foundation and Communities Foundation of Texas.

Once immediate needs are filled, the long hard task of rebuilding must begin. While a major catastrophe like this will take years to recover from, the silver lining, if any, is that Haiti has the chance to start over to create a more functional society. Even small donations can assist Haiti in moving toward a better tomorrow. Here’s to a recovery that puts Haiti on the road to a more prosperous, peaceful, and sustainable future.

- 2nd Green Revolution

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We all want to believe in something (Santa Claus, the money tree, the fountain of youth). The following is something 2nd Green would like to believe in, but we maintain a skeptical stance.

I recently heard about this company, SOLCOA, on a sustainability listserve. Based in San Jose, California, SOLCOA provides companies with energy audits and upgrades. Their mission “is to be a vital resource to non-profits by providing energy efficiency upgrades and improvements to their buildings which may have not been previously possible.” Read the rest of this entry »