Welcome to the July 2009 Green InSight eNewsletter!
Jon Dougal
Editor, Green InSight |
"The decisions Americans make about sustainable development are not technical decisions about peripheral matters, and they are not decisions about the environment. They are decisions about who we are, what we value, what kind of world we want to live in, and how we want to be remembered." John Dembach - Environmental Law Expert
This insightful and progressive newsletter is concerned with present energy issues and technologies as well as the future of energy. The information is brought to you in living color, on widescreen digital HD format, and sparing paper use with our long shelf-life, greedy little electrons to deliver the latest from the far corners of the alternative and renewable energy empire to foster sustainable development. We exalt your feedback and contributions of your latest experiences and reactions to our content. Sustainability is not just our mission, it is our passion.
IEA Paints Dire Picture of Energy Supply and Demand
By: Michael Kanellos
Date: November 12, 2008
Source: greentechmedia (www.greentechmedia.com)
Ednote: Energy prices will never be cheaper than today. If you don’t believe that, read on. Smart investors aren’t bothering with neither real estate nor the stock market, but with energy related vehicles of investment. Smart thinking is anything to do with solar. Get this from a business standpoint, no healthcare, no sick days, no personnel problems, no workers comp insurance – just 40 years of uninterrupted profits, ever greater with energy demand. Read on potential investor.
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What Could Possibly Hold Green Financing Back?
By: Jon Dougal
Date: July 2009
Well what is green financing? I would suggest that it could be mortgages that value energy efficient buildings (homes) higher than traditionally built homes. Green mortgages already are shown to have lower risks of lending. Green homeowners appear to have a 40% less default rate on their mortgages than traditional mortgage holders, according to the NAR. It could be because green homes operate at a lower cost than traditional homes and therefore allow more discretionary income to green home owners.
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 The Clayton "i-house" is Giant Leap from Trailer Park
By: Duncan Mansfield, AP Writer
Date: May 7, 2009
Source: BuilditGreenConcepts.com
Ednote: While the manufactured (modular) buildings have taken a setback due to the collapse of the housing market the demand for dwelling units will return in short order, at least as long as people keep pro-creating. The economic factors once touted as the only way to build “dwelling units’ have lost the edge. Mainly, because any production process needs unlimited orders for product. As long as modular buildings are produced for a scant few buyers the efficiency of “mass produced” housing kit-of-parts will elude the economics of scale. But Green housing continues to romance most of us as the future of housing. Michelle Kaufman, the Dwell modular housing enterprises have recently shut down – boo-hoo, boo-hoo, we lament their demise.
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 ENERGYSTAR – The Brand
By: Jon Dougal
Date: July 2009
Ednote: California’s legislation is leading the states on green building, a fact. Other states will follow - history. Fannie May &/or Freddie Mac are endorsing, promulgating Energy Efficient Mortgages. In Fact mortgages of the future may well be pegged to the operating costs of a building. What if an energy efficient building cost less to operate and therefore its occupants could afford a higher percentage of their discretionary income towards a mortgage payment. A prediction (not-to-difficult even for me) is that homes without an Energystar rating (the lowest of the energy rating systems) would be worth more than a building without an energy rating. Happening in the near future?
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150 Solar Startups: The Sequel
By: Eric Wesoff
Date: May 26, 2009
Source: greentechmedia (www.greentechmedia.com)
Ednote: We are all interested in “Green collar Jobs” actually any jobs, but environmentally friendly jobs would the choice. It is exciting to see the actual increase in green jobs and to speculate on the future growth of green jobs.
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 The Elusive Green Economy
By: Joshua Green
Date: July 10, 2009
Source: The Atlantic (www.theatlantic.com)
Ednote: The current state of the economy and the hope of many for stimulus money dedicated towards green energy prompt us to bring you this article from the Atlantic Monthly, an intellectuals periodical, but We’re sure our readers will be able to digest and use the practical information. It feels like 1977 all over again: economy in the doldrums, crisis in the Middle East, and a charismatic new Democrat in the White House preaching the gospel of clean energy. Can Obama succeed where Carter did not? Yes—but only if we’ve learned the lessons of three decades of failure.
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 Trade Group Warns Against Biodegradable Plastics
Date: June 2, 2009
Source: Environmental Leader (www.environmentalleader.com)
Ednote: Just when you thought it was ok to go back into the Fast food restaurant and create a dumpster full of disposable eating utensils; we find we still have work todo. Bio-degradeable may not be as disposable nor as bio-degradable as we would like to think.
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 Newer Cars and CAFE Standards will Change Automobile Design
By: Jon Dougal
Date: June 2009
Ednote: With new car design centered on electricity driven vehicles how will dwelling unit’s design change? Can smaller “conveyances” be housed in the double door opened living rooms/entries of suburbia/urbana? Will we choose to work only within the battery charge distance to work, and will our work offer charging stations where we park? Some of the options for commuting offer tantalizing options.
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Interested in sponsoring our next eNewsletter issue? Contact Jon Dougal at (415) 798-1933 or editor@greenmotion.org.
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