Ubercool

Towards a Sustainable World

August 27th, 2008

At the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week, two dozen solar-energy firms demonstrated their home-energy wares in a Coors Field parking lot to convention delegates. They were there because the Democratic National Committee promised to make this the “greenest convention ever.”

Heightened awareness of the green movement is reflected in a study conducted by Forrester Research this year, which found that 60% of the 61,000 U.S. and Canadian residents polled are concerned about the environment, while 45% worry about global warming.

But going green is not easy. The “Green Attitudes Don’t Guarantee Green Actions” survey also found that while 63% recycle paper, bottles and cans, and 57% have bought energy-efficient light bulbs, just 14% took toxic materials to a community recycling center, while only 11% recycled their last TV or PC.

Del Forte Denim, founded by San Francisco Bay Area entrepreneur Tierra del Forte, is one of a growing group of companies that cater to the emerging green class with jeans made from 100% organic cotton.

In other words, as is the case with most things, consumers choose the road less hassled. Yet, as the automobile industry has discovered, the market can turn on a dime. Americans are not only passing on their cherished SUVs, with sales down 21% in the first half, but they’re also driving significantly less, 12 billion fewer miles in June alone.

The shift in America’s green attitude is palpable. A Harris Interactive poll of 2,392 adults surveyed in September 2007 found that 79% of organic food buyers believe it tastes better and is worth the extra cost. The KPMG 2007 Annual National Shopping Behavior Survey reports that 60% are willing to pay more for such items, and 55% say they make a special effort to patronize retailers with a “green” reputation.

Relying on a technique called “biomimicry,” imitating palm trees in this instance, the Envision Solar Grove turns parking lots into solar farms. Originally created for Kyocera Solar, the Solar Grove should find a ready market in our nation of parking lots.

Fact is consumers are going to have to learn to live with paying more for less. Take packaging for example. This holiday season many consumers will be struggling to open large, unwieldy gifts that waste precious resources in the name of branding and retail optimization. Sites that track this new environmental ethic include TreeHugger, which reports on a wide range of sustainability topics.

The rising cost of oil will greatly dampen wasteful practices. The same forces are reshaping the energy field where a plethora of wind generators and solar panels are starting to address the world’s eternal thirst for energy. Germany has become the poster child for renewable energy with some 7% of the nation’s electricity generated by windmills.

As those renewable energy cheerleaders in Denver are discovering, the winds are truly in their sails. You don’t have to be at the Convention to imagine this rising chorus: “What do we want? Solar energy! When do we want it? Now!”

Entry Filed under: Luxury, Sustainability