Giant Tree-Powered Energy Machine in Madrid.

Don’t know what to say…

The title of this post is a subject that will dominate the news this year on climate change. For all intents and purposes the debate on the human causes of warming is over and irrelevant; the time for accelerated action, both personal and global, is here. This blog will no longer engage in arguments regarding the reality of climate change or its causes- the evidence is everywhere and its stature as a global catastrophe is equally evident. The energy put into arguing and denial campaigns needs to be redirected into useful actions designed to slow and eventually reverse the process.

National politics offers very little in the way of actions or financing of these efforts. Climate change is not a national issue, it is a global issue. Weather, flooding, droughts, fires, rising oceans, warming, water issues and cooling have no respect for for borders. The only border that contains this change is the thin atmosphere of our small planet and it encompasses all of us as humans equally. Money may buy individuals some reprieve but no matter how wealthy you are you cannot protect your grandchildren from a world that will little resemble the one we have enjoyed and abused.

Economics will be the driving factor in combating climate change. Savvy business managers and investors know that crisis always represents opportunity to grow and profit. The rising real cost of gas and home heating fuels is finally bringing energy innovation into the forefront as entrepreneurs and scientists see the opportunity to provide innovation as a solution and a means to grow rich. Market forces are already creating change that activists and politicians were helpless to accelerate.

While our President belatedly realizes the awful mess he has created with his short-sighted energy policies and goes begging to Middle Eastern Oil countries, the markets are adapting. The fact that a conservative President is so ignorant of market reality that he thinks the sheiks can simply change prices is appalling but offers obvious backing for the reality of markets as the drivers of change- prices are not up because of Arab greed, they are up because massive new sources of demand, principally India and China, have appeared.

The only solutions to escalating energy demand and growing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions are in technological innovation combined with market regulating systems like carbon credit trading. Both work because both represent opportunities for profit. It would be nice to believe in an altruistic business rationale that takes responsibility for long term consequences of decisions made today, however the profiteering of the oil companies in recent years and short-sighted lobbying against even mild CAFE standards by automakers are just two examples of why we cannot expect anything but growth and profit to really force change.

The fortunate conclusion of this idea is that markets can force change and speed to market often determines success. Those who solve the big problems in energy, sustainability, reduction and elimination of carbon, population issues and more will be the titans of the next century. I only hope it’s not too late and they are not too greedy in the short term like those who have gone before them.

A company in Silicon Valley has announced a plan to refurb mothballed ships and put data centers on them, a great example of out of the box thinking driven by rising energy costs. Data centers generate a lot of heat which requires costly cooling solutions. They plan to pump seawater in as a coolant saving an estimated 30%. They also will have back-up generators powered by the ships’ engines which could run for up to thirty days. Pretty cool idea.

It is rare when my two fascinations, climate issues and Internet marketing, cross paths. However, according to Information Week, broadband usage is going to save the equivalent of 11% of our annual oil imports over the next decade:

” The pervasive use of broadband Internet connections and the tools and practices they enable could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by some 1 billion tons over the next decade, according to the American Consumer Institute. Widespread adoption of broadband in the United States alone would cut energy use by the equivalent of 11% of annual oil imports, the group says.”

As a telecommuter I can tell you that I’m driving far less than when I had a short seven mile commute to work. Given that average commutes in major metros are over 45 minutes each way or 40 miles a day, I can see how broadband makes a dent. Add in the huge savings as business travelers begin to use the really effective teleconferencing services that are starting to emerge and you’ll see big savings in both oil and emissions.

As gas prices rise, and public transport falls behind in its ability to serve increasing demand, alternative work arrangements will become the norm. I see things like temporary centrally-located office spaces being created for face to face meetings that are closer to home for all attendees. Hotels have served this purpose for years and will move even further into the business services sector. I live across the street from a hotel and it would be great if they provided a rental video conference suite for meetings. They may see it as a threat to their core business but it would be more than made up by selling us $7 a cup coffee and $12 croissants…