1.  Robolobster

Northeastern University is developing a remote environmental data gathering robot that resembles an eight legged lobster.  The robot is designed to maneuver across rough surfaces while negotiating surging water and shifting currents, making it ideal for exploring rivers and littoral zones (ocean shore areas up to the high water mark).

Image: Courtesy of Jan Witting/Northeastern University.

2. Phoenix Mars

The mother of all green jobs probably belongs to the Phoenix Mars, which launched last year and went to work on Mars for several months with a robotic arm to dig and scoop up soil samples for on-board analysis. It also doubled as a weather station and yes, it was solar powered.  The photo montage above provides a unique look at the Phoenix on the planet’s surface.

Image: Phoenix Mars Mission.

3.  Robot Composter for the Home

Back on earth, the workhorses of the robot world are the ones that collect and recycle waste, like the NatureMill food composting robot.  This one can mix, heat and aerate fresh scraps, automatically send them to a lower chamber to make room for more, and pop on a red light to signal that a fully composted load is ready - all without raising a stink.

Image: NatureMill.

4.  Robots and Green Maintenance Jobs

One great advantage of robots is their ability to deploy in places that would put people at risk of life and limb.  Wind turbines fit that category.  The modest looking RIWEA robot operates on rope-climbing principles that enable it to scale gigantic turbine poles and inspect rotor blades for dings, cracks, and other defects.

Image: FraunhoferIFF.

5.  Robots in the Sky

Small drone aircraft can accomplish many environmental research tasks while cutting down on the carbon footprint needed to accommodate human bodies in flight.  An early demonstration of NOAA’s Altair drone involved research off the coast of Oregon and California.

Image: Altair unmanned aircraft in flight courtesy of NOAA.

6.  Robots in Agriculture

Researchers at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory are developing an agricultural robot that can detect slugs, pluck them up, and eat them - then “digest” the slugs for energy to keep themselves running.  The trick will be developing a microbial fuel cell to extract electrons from the source of nutrition.  The lab works in partnership with the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England.

Image: Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

7. Swarms of Robots

Mini-robots are another big trend we’ll see more of.  UC San Diego researchers are developing swarms of robots no bigger than a soccer ball.  They can drift with ocean currents to gather information on the micro-mechanisms that support plankton and other tiny marine creatures.  They could also guard sensitive areas or provide on-the-spot information about oil spills, plane crashes and other marine emergencies.

Image: National Science Foundation.

We installed our grid-tied 10kW Bergey Excel in May, 2003, and — other than a blade switch-out in 2005 to boost production (which it did by more than 30 percent) — we’ve encountered no mechanical or electronic failures or issues. It’s a testament to how reliable some of the wind turbines and inverters have become. Since its installation, we’ve already generated over 48,000 kWhs (kilowatt hours) of renewable energy, presently averaging about 10,000 kWhs/year. Yep, our utility, Alliant Energy, then buys our surplus electricity back from us (it amounts to about $400 a year). According to calculations at Bergey Windpower Co., our 10 kW Bergey GridTek system will offset approximately 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 250 tons of greenhouse gases over its 30-year operating life.

This past September, we hired Kettle View Renewable Energy LLC to complete the replacement of leading-edge tape on each of the blades, tape which was pealing back or slid off altogether. The leading-edge tape helps protect the perfectly balanced fiber reinforced plastic blades — offering about twice the strength of low carbon steel. These Bergey Excel blades have a swept area diameter of 23 feet. Kettle View Renewable Energy, LLC is one of the hundreds of new companies that have started to meet the growing need of servicing renewable energy systems, completing renewable energy site assessments, grant writing and system installations.

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Okay, so we’re at nearly 10 percent unemployment nationally (if you believe the Federal numbers), so many people are without a steady stream of bi-monthly paychecks. Yet, 90 percent of Americans who had a job when the economy tanked, still do. But for some that means being a wage serf, cubicle clone or working in the Dilbert world of dysfunctional corporate America – working hard to make someone else richer (and often, with ecological impacts). There’s too many CEO bonuses and none for the employees who clean the counters, work on the assembly lines (ideally making hybrid vehicles), or take care of customers. The vast majority of education system continues to be committed to helping people find jobs, not make a sustainble life, especially one that doesn’t destroy the planet or exploit people (though more are starting “sustainability curricula”).

What we need is less of an emphasis on transforming less-green jobs to more-green jobs for the plethora of job seekers. There’s nothing wrong with getting a job (there are a few great companies, some that even offer employee ownership and stock, in addition to addressing the development needs of their workforce).

But if you want to gain an upper hand on life, more self-employed or self-owned enterprises are discovered that you can keep more of your hard-earned money by working for yourself. As I write about in ECOpreneuring, doing so allows you to also reinvest our profits in ways that either restore the planet and/or improve the well being of people living in our community, nation and planet. These businesses have a triple bottom line and many have ditched the commute to some office, working, instead, from a home office.

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Thank you Green for All!

2. Phoenix Mars

The mother of all green jobs probably belongs to the Phoenix Mars, which launched last year and went to work on Mars for several months with a robotic arm to dig and scoop up soil samples for on-board analysis. It also doubled as a weather station and yes, it was solar powered.  The photo montage above provides a unique look at the Phoenix on the planet’s surface.

Image: Phoenix Mars Mission.

3.  Robot Composter for the Home

Back on earth, the workhorses of the robot world are the ones that collect and recycle waste, like the NatureMill food composting robot.  This one can mix, heat and aerate fresh scraps, automatically send them to a lower chamber to make room for more, and pop on a red light to signal that a fully composted load is ready - all without raising a stink.

Image: NatureMill.

4.  Robots and Green Maintenance Jobs

One great advantage of robots is their ability to deploy in places that would put people at risk of life and limb.  Wind turbines fit that category.  The modest looking RIWEA robot operates on rope-climbing principles that enable it to scale gigantic turbine poles and inspect rotor blades for dings, cracks, and other defects.

Image: FraunhoferIFF.

5.  Robots in the Sky

Small drone aircraft can accomplish many environmental research tasks while cutting down on the carbon footprint needed to accommodate human bodies in flight.  An early demonstration of NOAA’s Altair drone involved research off the coast of Oregon and California.

Image: Altair unmanned aircraft in flight courtesy of NOAA.

6.  Robots in Agriculture

Researchers at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory are developing an agricultural robot that can detect slugs, pluck them up, and eat them - then “digest” the slugs for energy to keep themselves running.  The trick will be developing a microbial fuel cell to extract electrons from the source of nutrition.  The lab works in partnership with the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England.

Image: Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

7. Swarms of Robots

Mini-robots are another big trend we’ll see more of.  UC San Diego researchers are developing swarms of robots no bigger than a soccer ball.  They can drift with ocean currents to gather information on the micro-mechanisms that support plankton and other tiny marine creatures.  They could also guard sensitive areas or provide on-the-spot information about oil spills, plane crashes and other marine emergencies.

Image: National Science Foundation.

In reference to Thomas Friedman’s book, Hot, Flat and Crowded, Boxer said yesterday: “The nation that aggressively addresses the issue of climate change will be the nation that will thrive, the nation that will lead, and the nation that will prosper.”

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On an historic day which proved America’s spirit during the Revolutionary War, the spirit of America was again proved. As news came that Nevada’s unemployment rate hit a record high of 11.3 percent, Senate majority leader Harry Reid addressed the people whose roles are instrumental in helping America survive: CEOs of renewable and clean energy businesses from around the country, several Fortune 500 company leaders, labor union representatives, environmental leaders, renewable energy trade association representatives, and community college presidents.

While the opposition may have changed from the battle at Bunker Hill, the spirit of revolution remains. America is looking forward. Tired of the oppressive reign which the world of oil has had, we are beginning, now more than ever, to fight back, to free ourselves.

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You can’t beat the satisfaction of making the world a cleaner, more pristine place. For this reason, more and more people want green jobs. The more President Obama talks about them, the better they sound. In reality, many of us can have a tremendous impact, without working for a wildlife reserve or a solar energy company.

Here are some ways to green your existing job:

Start a Game
People love competitions, even if it is ultimately for a mundane goal. What department can reduce their electricity use the most or have the largest number of employees commute by bike? How can you replace bottled water consumption with filtered tap water?

“We have people here in our offices that are creating contests around printing,” said Matt Arnold, Partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers in an interview with PlanetSave. “Think about how day-to-day this can get. We are having a contest to see who can print the least, floor by floor, department by department. We are keeping score and it’s a little game. The people that designed it are having a blast and we’re reducing paper consumption.”

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Italian Bank UniCredit signed a deal with conservation group WWF in order to set the goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2020, supporting the EU energy goal – also known as ’20-20-20’ – defined in the “Climate & Energy Package”.

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San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, is known for his particularly progressive thinking when it comes to developing the economy of San Francisco.

According to the Long Now Foundation, which recently sponsored a presentation by him, mayors are the most powerful politicians in America, right up there with county supervisors. This is why cities pay so much attention to each other and learn so much from each other.

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Van Jones is a rising star in the green economy.  As the founding President of Green for All, he is a doer.  As the author of  “The Green Collar Economy” he is a spokesperson and advocate.  But he is actually much more than that. He’s actually Innovation 3.0.

Nancy Pelosi calls him a “magnificent disrupter”.   If she means that he eloquently navigates new paths (job creation) and connects new ideas (environmental consideration) to age-old issues (populations in poverty), then she is right.

In a recent interview with David Gottfriend, CEO of Regenerative Ventures, Van spoke of the need to revision the way we do things.  He spoke of soul level redemption.  And he spoke of the need for human recovery.    Listening to him you can’t help but be caught up in his articulate passion and belief that there is a better way out of this mess we’re in.

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Previous studies of a similar ilk, like the Stern Review, have incorporated social benefits to partially offset the cost of scaling up energy efficient and clean technologies. In contrast, the latest McKinsey report considers only technology-related costs and attaches a figure to the cost of green initiatives in China.

So what is the final damage? While costs are negative for upgrades in some industries, like buildings, due to the savings generated from energy efficiency improvements, a total 1.5-2 trillion yuan (USD 220-295 billion) would have to be spent every year until 2030 in order to reach McKinsey’s alternative scenario.

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As economic woes escalated, rankings for the environment plummeted 15 points over last year’s numbers, which was the biggest drop in priority among all of the issues polled.

This brings up an important question: Why are these two issues seemingly seen at such odds with one another?

The reason may stem from the fact that the structure of the American economy, and perhaps the American mindset itself, is fundamentally out of touch with reality.

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We are back to the days of civil disobedience.

Starting today, 10,000 students and young people will converge upon Washington D.C. to demand immediate action on green jobs and climate change. It’s like being back in the Vietnam War protests all over again.

The protest is timely given President Obama’s release of his new budget which allocates funds for various aspects of climate change with a view to creating green jobs in the bargain. Labeled the Power Shift ’09 (www.powershift09.org)  summit will last until Monday, March 2.

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Yipee!

Finally, there’s a book for moms who are looking to go green that doesn’t make them feel like a failure. I’ve always been pretty green. It was recent that I realized that a lot of my peers don’t think about sustainable living. I’d just assumed that everyone went through the same processes that I did.

What I didn’t realize is that a lot of women (especially parents) felt like they had to do everything. By “everything” I mean everything from green cleaning products to the diva cup to growing their own food, and by being made to feel like a perennial failure, many parents are unwilling to attempt any part of a sustainable life, for fear of being mocked.

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The Green Energy and Green Economy Act of 2009, if passed, would implement a feed-in tariff to fund renewable energy construction. It would also boost domestic requirements for renewable energy, a move that would create jobs in many sectors, from steel mills and law firms.

“Ontario’s Green Energy Act could propel the province past California as the most innovative North American leader in the renewable energy field,” said Denis Hayes, the former director of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory and founder of Earth Day. “This is the sort of healthy, friendly competition between Canada and the US that will leave us both better off.”

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GreenTalk Radio host Sean Daily talks about business strategies and opportunities in the new green economy with LOHAS industry writer, speaker, and GreenBiz.com executive editor Joel Makower. Joel is the author of the best-selling book
Strategies for the Green Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in the New World of Business.

Click Play Below,or

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2. Phoenix Mars

The mother of all green jobs probably belongs to the Phoenix Mars, which launched last year and went to work on Mars for several months with a robotic arm to dig and scoop up soil samples for on-board analysis. It also doubled as a weather station and yes, it was solar powered.  The photo montage above provides a unique look at the Phoenix on the planet’s surface.

Image: Phoenix Mars Mission.

3.  Robot Composter for the Home

Back on earth, the workhorses of the robot world are the ones that collect and recycle waste, like the NatureMill food composting robot.  This one can mix, heat and aerate fresh scraps, automatically send them to a lower chamber to make room for more, and pop on a red light to signal that a fully composted load is ready - all without raising a stink.

Image: NatureMill.

4.  Robots and Green Maintenance Jobs

One great advantage of robots is their ability to deploy in places that would put people at risk of life and limb.  Wind turbines fit that category.  The modest looking RIWEA robot operates on rope-climbing principles that enable it to scale gigantic turbine poles and inspect rotor blades for dings, cracks, and other defects.

Image: FraunhoferIFF.

5.  Robots in the Sky

Small drone aircraft can accomplish many environmental research tasks while cutting down on the carbon footprint needed to accommodate human bodies in flight.  An early demonstration of NOAA’s Altair drone involved research off the coast of Oregon and California.

Image: Altair unmanned aircraft in flight courtesy of NOAA.

6.  Robots in Agriculture

Researchers at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory are developing an agricultural robot that can detect slugs, pluck them up, and eat them - then “digest” the slugs for energy to keep themselves running.  The trick will be developing a microbial fuel cell to extract electrons from the source of nutrition.  The lab works in partnership with the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England.

Image: Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

7. Swarms of Robots

Mini-robots are another big trend we’ll see more of.  UC San Diego researchers are developing swarms of robots no bigger than a soccer ball.  They can drift with ocean currents to gather information on the micro-mechanisms that support plankton and other tiny marine creatures.  They could also guard sensitive areas or provide on-the-spot information about oil spills, plane crashes and other marine emergencies.

Image: National Science Foundation.

So, the question of the day is, what does the green tinted crystal ball say?  The answer is, of course, it depends.

Some businesses will continue to thrive.  Consumer confidence has plummeted, and even those that don’t need to cut back are reigning in spending on discretionary items.

As with anything, there are two sides of that coin.  For consignment stores, it’s a bonanza, as consumers look at second-hand goods as a way to continue to fulfill their needs while cutting spending substantially.  Those ecopreneurs who decided they wanted to make money by recycling used clothing, sporting goods, printer cartridges, or any number of other goods, the weather is warm and sunny, and the gods of industry are smiling upon them.

There is also tremendous opportunity created by economic downturns.  There are a variety of reasons for this:

1.A tremendous labor pool supply.  With unemployment reaching towards 9%, there are a great deal of educated, talented, and sometimes desperate workers out there looking for work, with a growing number of them looking for work that has a greater purpose. 

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]]> http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/12/27/will-green-stay-hot-as-the-economic-weather-gets-cold/feed/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/23/2008cause-for-inspiration-the-economic-year-in-review/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/23/2008cause-for-inspiration-the-economic-year-in-review/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:28:25 +0000 Reenita Malhotra http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/23/2008cause-for-inspiration-the-economic-year-in-review/

Hope-Despair, a painting by Feroza Unvala

2008 - what a year! As we get ready to draw the curtains on one of the most unsettling economic years in history, we the writers of the Inspired Economist are still wondering… was this year one that has left our battered economy begging for inspiration? Or have the sustainable events of 2008 spearheaded the initiation of what we believe is truly an Inspired Economy?

2008 was about the $700 billion bailout. Foreclosures. The plummeting stock market. As the year came to a close, the nation’s economic turmoil battled with the presidential election. But it was also a time when new businesses were born into what appears to be an unprecedented sustainability boom. When energy, economy and environment have taken on a new and inter-dependent definition.

As we position our economy to take off on this inspiring eve of the Obama generation, let’s reflect on the change that has come into play this year……

The First Quarter

The first quarter of the year saw the idea of social entrepreneuring take flight beyond the borders of America.

Cover of Jeffery Sach’s book Common Wealth

It was also the time when the Center for Resource Solutions launched the Environmental Tracking Network of North America – North America’s first network organization for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions tracking systems and registries.

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]]> http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/23/2008cause-for-inspiration-the-economic-year-in-review/feed/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/16/obamas-green-job-plan-x-10/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/16/obamas-green-job-plan-x-10/#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:19:36 +0000 Ramsay Mameesh http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/16/obamas-green-job-plan-x-10/ President-elect Barack Obama has promised $15 billion per year towards green infrastructure projects.  While seemingly a large figure, it is a drop in the bucket, that will have little economic impact on the $14 trillion U.S. economy.  And even though the Obama proposal will create 2.5 million green jobs within 5 years, that will do little to replace the 4 million lost manufacturing jobs since President Bush took office, or the 2 million jobs lost so far this year, or the who knows how many jobs that will be lost in 2009.

What is needed is a much larger investment in the Green economy, one that will create a new era of high paying middle class jobs, and an investment that strengthens the overall economy by reducing government budget deficits.  An investment sufficient in size that will do more than simply stimulate consumption, or keep Green hopes alive,  but an investment that will permanently transform the economy.  And help America regain it’s economic, competitive, and technological advantage once again.

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]]> http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/16/obamas-green-job-plan-x-10/feed/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/14/are-green-collar-jobs-the-answer-to-our-current-economic-dilemma/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/14/are-green-collar-jobs-the-answer-to-our-current-economic-dilemma/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:06:23 +0000 Brenda Keener http://inspiredeconomist.com/2008/12/14/are-green-collar-jobs-the-answer-to-our-current-economic-dilemma/ As today’s blue collar workers lament the loss of jobs to illegal immigrants or offshoring, a whole new movement is afoot that very well may provide the solution to unemployment woes.  As we experience the total revolution of our economy as we know it, an entirely new set of jobs are being created; green collar jobs.  In fact, not since the Industrial Age has the global economy experienced the onsite of such a dramatic transformation!

The Urban Habitat blog lists an impressive array of sectors where these new jobs will come from:

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