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Chris Williams and The Green Skeptic

Chris Williams of The Green Light Distrikt interviewed me last week about Philadelphia Cleantech scene, water, cleantech investing, and my favorite industry blogs.

He's posted the results in byte-sized morsels of audio:

Insights into the Philly Cleantech Market, Investing, and Best Industry Blogs from @Greenskeptic

Last week for World Water Day (March 22nd, 2011), I participated in an exclusive webinar about how global cities are dealing with the challenge of managing their most essential resource.



Panelists included


Some good insights about water, water investing, water supply issues, environmental concerns, weather events, and the potential impacts of climate change.

Once the top dog in clean energy, the United States dropped to third place in terms of investment, falling further from the top spot it held in 2008, with only $34 billion in private clean energy investments.

China continues to lead, according to a new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts, attracting a record $54.4 billion in clean energy investments in 2010 -- a 39 percent increase over 2009 and equal to total global investment in 2004. Germany saw private investments double to $41.2 billion and was second in the G-20, up from third last year.

"The clean energy sector is emerging as one of the most dynamic and competitive in the world, witnessing 630 percent growth in finance and investments since 2004," said Phyllis Cuttino, director, Pew Clean Energy Program. "In 2010, worldwide finance and investment grew 30 percent to a record $243 billion."

The good news is: investment in clean energy has bounced back from the recession, at least globally.  The question is, will the US be able to keep pace in the years to come?

That China leads will come as no surprise to readers of The Green Skeptic.  That the US is slipping further down the ladder is more disturbing to those of us who see the new green economy as a platform for our competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Instead, Salmon, Polar Bears and Wolves, are given a voice to speak out, via social media, combining wit with real facts and emotion, to state their case.

Part One Was Subterranean, Now In Part Two, We Break The Green Surface.

There’s a cool little bounce to the sidewalks of New Green City, that’s because these sidewalks are made of recycled rubber, composed entirely of old tires. Sidewalks that are safer and more flexible so no breaking apart as tree roots grow (like concrete notoriously does). They are able to be installed directly over and mold around tree trunks and roots while still allowing water to penetrate to the roots without damaging them or hindering growth. Rubber sidewalks curve around corners and even down slopes, gum doesn’t stick to it, cigarettes won’t leave burn marks and it’s easy to remove and replace. Currently, the material is about 30% more expensive than concrete, but it lasts three times longer and does not have the carbon footprint as does the production of concrete.

New Green City utilizes recycled concrete in a myriad of ways, so much so that it is now completely unnecessary to toss any of the broken and discarded concrete that normally (by the tons), ends up in over-taxed landfills. Old broken concrete is repurposed and used like stone, popularly called “urbanite” for flower beds, landscaping gravel, paths and aggregate blends for patios, fire-pits, planters, and retaining walls. While broken pieces of concrete make good stepping stone walkways. Recycled concrete has become a staple in the manufacture and/or construction of counter-tops, sinks, pool decks, interior walls, floors, and even furniture.

To cut costs and improve overall quality of street and airport repairs and overlays, New Green City utilizes E-Krete , an extremely durable polymer composite micro-overlay (PCMO™) that bonds securely to asphalt pavement, chip seal, polished stone and other bituminous products, as well as concrete and primed metal. It is unaffected by water, UV, ice, oxidation, automotive fluids, aircraft fluids, oil, diesel and gasoline. Cracks in oxidized pavement are filled by the PCMO material as old asphalt pavement is capped with a 1/8-inch (3.17 mm) lift of E-Krete in contrast to overlaying with 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) of asphalt. E-Krete is a high-albedo pavement (a lighter-colored surface that reflects sunlight energy instead of absorbing it), staying cool on hot days and thereby reducing the “urban heat island effect”. Which is the condition where dense urban areas become several degrees warmer due to the density and the amount of buildings and heat absorbing paved areas, which contributes significantly to climate change.

Also asphalt contains suspected human carcinogens and its dark surface creates a nighttime illumination problem. Where as E-Krete’s enhanced illumination reduces heat by as much as 12 °F (8 °C), compared to the heat absorption of asphalt. Meaning that overlaying with E-Krete essentially turns asphalt into a “green” product. And cheaply too because for regular asphalt overlaying the cost is $7.29/square yard (€ 5.18 /0.83 square meter) and lasts approx. 8 years compared to E-Krete which is $5.85/square yard (€ 4.15/0.83 square meter) and can last 20 years, saving millions of tax dollars. With no VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) it is completely environmentally friendly, so much so that PolyCon Manufacturing, the company that created and manufactures E-Krete said, “you can even drink the water that comes off the top of it”. At this time it is the only cementitious pavement preservation material approved by the FAA, EPA, Army Corp of Engineers.

For beautiful side streets, residential roadways, and unpaved/non-maintained roads, New Green City acquires the Tiger-Stone machine from Vanku Machinebouw (machine construction), from Brabantine Gilze-Rijen, the Netherlands. An electric powered, gravity employing ballasting machine crawling along a sand base accurately laying sustainable, perfectly aligned, curb to curb, beautiful, instant brick/paver road at an astounding 400 square meters (1,312 sq. ft.), a day. The width span can be adjusted up to 6 meters (19.68 feet) wide. Brick roads have been road/street building material for centuries and pavers of one sort or another have been building roads for around 2,000 years or so. Brick/paver roads had fallen out of favor because they were so back-breaking labor and time intensive. But since the dawn of the green building movement and Tiger-Stone, they are back. Bricks and pavers are easy to manufacture, reuse (a biggie), last an extremely long time, virtually maintenance free, and they are easily replaced in case of damage. They absorb rainwater between their seams helping renew aquifers and reducing storm water runoff. They can take intense heat, rain, snow, and freezing without cracking and the damage that leds to the potholes we’ve all come to know and loathe. The cost for the machine is from $85,27 (€ 60,000) to $113,696 (€ 80,000).

Another plus is that New Green City uses air-purifying paving stones in it’s Tiger-Stone machine. These concrete stones and their poured concrete cousin, contains titanium dioxide, a photocatalytic material that removes the nitrogen oxides from the air and converts them with the aid of sunlight into harmless nitrate. The nitrate is then rinsed away by rain. These stones also have another advantage, they break down algae and dirt, so they always stay clean. Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands developed this paving material that actually eats pollution and it has become a crucial tool for keeping the air quality in New Green City as fresh as it is after a spring rain.

Solar Roadways’ ingenious and multi-functional Solar Road Panels are utilized on all the major freeways and interstate highways passing around and through New Green City. As well as commuter park-and-ride lots, and interlaced with pavers on downtown streets in an functional yet aesthetically appealing manner. Each energy-generating panel linking together to provide a network of power and communications distribution. The embedded LEDs in each panel of the road groups together to “paint” the travel lines and lane markers from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving, as well as to give up to the minute instructions to drivers (i.e. “detour ahead”). The road will be able to sense wildlife and can warn drivers to “slow down”. The embedded heating elements prevent snow and ice buildup, providing for safer winter driving and alleviating the expense of snow removal and the environmental problems caused by the chemicals (salt, magnesium chloride, etc.) currently used to maintain clear roads. And to prevent snow and ice buildup on the the adjacent downtown sidewalks, the panels also feed power to radiant heating cable systems installed under the pavers during the process of widening the sidewalks to encourage and accommodate more foot traffic.

Stay tuned for Part Three – Up From The Surface …as the green future unfolds.

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Just think! 3 years and the planet is still here. Although bruised and beat up, she is still trying to hang in there for us.

Almost weekly, there is some disaster happening, somewhere, leaving many of us to wonder, can we ever really be prepared?

The following is a guest post written by Shawn Jenson, who is also a staff writer for radiologytechnician.com and is an advocate of taking free online courses.

Ah, to have a ... [visit site to read more]

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© Focus Organic for 2011. | Permalink | No comment

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We've been gearing up for the Cleantech Alliance Mid-Atlantic's 3rd Annual Mid-Atlantic Cleantech Investment Forum, which takes place at Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences on Thursday, March 31st. A few tickets are still available, so don't delay: Register for Cleantech Investment Forum.

Here are this week's Green Skeptic links:

The news is not great out of Japan this morning as Reuters reports workers at the Fukushima nuclear reactor were exposed to 10,000 times more radiation than previously thought: Fukushima. 

While in the US, concern about older nuclear facilities is leading to increased scrutiny as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pledged to move New York's Indian Point to the top of its list of 27 nuclear plants being reviewed for risk from earthquakes: Indian Point and the New York Times reported that Nuclear Power Loses Support in New Poll

Ideas on Energy asks "Why are the world's most energy rich countries in the Middle East investing so heavily in renewable energy?" 

Meanwhile, in California, a landmark climate bill is being stalled by...a bunch of environmentalists?  China Dialogue editor Linden Ellis has the story: Greens Getting in the Way.

Shawn Lesser of Sustainable World Capital and Terry Cooke, a 2010 Public Policy Scholar on U.S.-China Clean Energy at the Woodrow Wilson Center, list the  "Top Ten U.S. and China Collaborations in Cleantech."

Katie Fehrenbacher at Earth2Tech reports that power gear company Schneider Electric has made one of the larger acquisitions in the industrial and commercial energy management sector, buying energy procurement and management company Summit Energy for $268 million.

Elizabeth Kolbert, writing in National Geographic, says the carbon dioxide we pump into the air is seeping into the oceans and slowly acidifying them. Kolbert asks, "One hundred years from now, will oysters, mussels, and coral reefs survive?"The Acid Sea

While Nature Conservancy president and CEO Mark Tercek suggests that Keeping More Fish in the Ocean is Good for People & Nature.

Have a great weekend everybody.

The Mid-Atlantic Cleantech Investment Forum has become the premier showcase for clean- and greentech companies and investors in the region.

A collaboration between the Cleantech Alliance Mid-Atlantic (of which I am co-founder) and Blank Rome's energy law practice, the Forum brings together investors and entrepreneurs from around the region.

Now in its third year, the Forum takes place at Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences and there's something deliciously ironic about networking with the region's cleantech leaders among the dinosaurs and fossils housed at the Academy.

This year's program includes Keynote Speaker Mark Fulton, Managing Director and Global Head of Climate Change Investment Research and Strategy for Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors; a Cleantech Investment Panel, featuring Gary Golding of Edison Ventures, Kevin Brophy of Meidlinger Partners, Josh Wolfe of Lux Capital; a dialogue with representatives from the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings (moderated by yours truly); and a cleantech company showcase featuring some of the region's hottest companies.

Register today for the 3rd Annual Mid-Atlantic Cleantech Investment Forum.

Here's a video from last year's Forum, attended by over 390 people, and we're expecting a capacity crowd again this year -- so get your tickets before it's too late.

The following is a guest post from Joy Paley, who is a christian counselor and writes for onlineclasses.net.

These days, everywhere you look someone is giving tips to ... [visit site to read more]

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© Focus Organic for 2011. | Permalink | No comment

Here are my totals for the week

Recycle - 175
Garbage - 13
Hazardous Waste - 3
Donate - 7
Sell - 5
Giveaway - 0
Return - 0
Compost - 0
? - 0
Total number of items = 203

Grand total so far = 1223 items

Most interesting item - A shark key chain that when you pull the string it slowly eats a swimmer.



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Half of the world's people now live in cities, according to the United Nations, and within two decades, nearly 60 percent of the population -- 5 billion people -- will be urban dwellers.

Developing countries feel the growth most directly, but even cities like Philadelphia are showing signs of population growth.

While cities are considered by many to be the most environmentally benign habitat for human beings, urban population growth brings challenges. Among those challenges are increasing stresses on water availability, access, and sanitation.

Cities are hard to sustain without reliable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Yet even in the industrial world, urban water and waste service infrastructure is not up to the challenge.

Scarcity of usable water around the world is leading to further challenges and economic constraints, according to William Brennan of Summit Global Management, a San Diego-based investment firm that specializes in water.

"The continued industrialization of emerging markets, growing global agricultural demand, and rising energy inputs are unstoppable trends that are all converging at a historic rate, making the water demand curve further accelerate," Brennan wrote to me recently.

Yet, with such challenges also come opportunities, especially where recycling and reuse and treatment of water and wastes are concerned.

In the US, start-up companies like Liberty Hydrologic Systems, BlackGold Biofuels, Cardinal Resources, and ET Water are coming up with innovative solutions to deal with treatment, filtration, and waste; while large utilities such as AquaAmerica and American Water tackle the infrastructure for drinking water and wastewater services.

Internationally, organizations such as charity:water and the Global Water Challenge are addressing clean, safe drinking water, and sanitation issues in developing nations. (Here is a comprehensive list of water related organizations: H20.)

"Good urban water management is complex and requires not only water and wastewater infrastructure, but also pollution control and flood prevention," as the organizers of World Water Day point out. "It requires coordination across many sectors and between different local authorities and changes in governance that lead to more sustainable and equitable use of the urban water resources."

It also requires innovative solutions and new ways of thinking about how we use, reuse, conserve, and treat our water.

One day each year hardly seems adequate to raising the awareness of water issues around the world, but it's a start.  As our cities expand and stresses to water supplies increase, it will become clear as...well...water that we need to pay more attention to this most precious resource.


NOTE: Join me and Dr. Paul Bowen of Coca-Cola, Larry Levine of NRDC, and Richard Murphy of Fortune for a webinar today at 1PM ET as we discuss water challenges and opportunities: Cities and the Global Water Crisis.

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It’s Green Bay,Wisconsin for the win, of the Paint your City Green Contest! Phoenix creative agency Sherri May & Co.,  awarded Green Bay, Wisconsin  as the $87,000 Go Green Marketing Campaign winner, of their Paint Your City Green Campaign, on March 15, 2011. Paint Your City Green, is the Second Big Win for Green Bay, [...]

Image by Masaru Kamikura via FlickrWe all watched with grave concern and deep admiration this week as workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan struggled to keep a crisis from turning into a catastrophe in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami. 

As I write this, the severity level has been raise from a 4 to a 5 and water cannons are firing jets of water onto overheating reactors.

Michael W. Golay, professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, examines the missteps that led to the crisis at Fukushima Daiichi in Yale360.

While the debate about the Fukushima disaster's impact on the future of nuclear energy heated up, The Next Big Future listed Deaths per TWh for all energy sources, including some surprises.

Meanwhile, on the subject of alternative energy, Clean Edge Research released its 10th Annual Clean Energy Trends Report. 

And Rob Day, aka @cleantechvc, posted his thoughts and an excellent slide show on Cleantech Venture Capital in 2015.

Jim Tankersly has a great piece in the National Journal on the unpriced risks facing the US economy: Flooded.

And, finally, probably the coolest husband and wife bloggers on the planet, Joanne and Fred Wilson, both had compelling posts this week.  First read the Gotham Gal's post on Britta Riley, Environmental Entrepreneur  and Fred's post on why we should support #startupvisa and then take action at Votizen.

Have a great weekend everybody. And continue to pray for the workers at Fukushima and people of Japan.