5 Reasons Why Green Tech Has Such a Tough Time in America

[jpak]

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/07/why-green-has-such-a-tough-time-in-america/

The United States has long been a leader in green technologies. It has also long been a leader in fumbling that lead. Look at the historical record:

Charles Brush built what is considered the first automatic wind turbine for generating electricity. The turbine, built in 1888 in Ohio, had a 50-foot diameter and 144 blades. The industry has since trimmed turbines down to three blades. It has also gone overseas. While the United States has more installed wind capacity than anyone else, the only top U.S. wind manufacturer remains General Electric: They got into the business by buying the wind division of disgraced, defunct Enron. One of the most promising U.S. startups is Nordic Windpower, located in Berkeley, California, by way of Sweden.


Calvin Fuller, Daryl Chapin and Gerald Pearson created the first silicon photovoltaic cell at Bell Labs in 1954. It was only 4-percent efficient, but Bell raised the figure to 11 percent soon after. First Solar and SunPower hail from the United States — and we mint a lot of startups — but the United States is a far smaller market than Europe, and Suntech and Yingli have begun to demonstrate that we don’t have a monopoly on quality.

A chemistry professor at the State University of New York Binghamton, M. Stanley Whittingham, led a research team at Exxon that resulted in the first lithium-ion battery. Whittingham’s titanium sulfide battery, however, was not a hit — Sony’s lithium-cobalt battery became the standard in the early 1990s. The battery industry is now based in Asia.

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[DirkGently]

1. We need to be leading in this area, not fighting it.

Good find.

[Duppers]

2. Very good article

Why?

1. Conservation = Being a Loser -- Scrimping and saving has, for some reason, been enshrined as the national shame.

2. Abundance -- In the 1920s, solar hot-water heaters blanketed Miami and southern California. The advent of natural gas piping and cheap natural gas, which could heat hot water any hour of the day, led to their demise.

3. It’s Not New

4. Lobbying -- The fossil fuel industry knows how to work Washington and the state capitols.

5. Environmentalists as Scolds -- Much of the opposition to Al Gore comes because he’s Al Gore. I support his ideas, but let’s face it — he comes across as smug. (Smug?! Some damn rethug school this author?!)

Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/07/why-green-has-such-a-tough-time-in-america/all/1#ixzz0wqGD4cAV



But 'tis true--Any time any politician comes along advocating conservation, whether it's Jimmy Carter or Al Gore, they're bashed.

I'd add a 6th reason: Total ignorance.

[PittsburghKid]

3. Great Article!

Again, another thumbs-up for this find!

I would, however, like to add a seventh point--design of communities, especially in the CO2 emissions department.

Today, I had to visit the pet store to pick up some plants for my fish. Only one mom-and-pop store remains in my area, and it's in a suburban location. I was out that way anyway at the doctor today so I stopped by. Trouble is, there was no public transportation available. Now I'm in college and don't exactly have the funds to buy a nice electric or hybrid car right now, so I drive a trusty old car inherited from a family member that I keep in top shape instead of in the dumpster. It doesn't get bad mileage (34 highway), but it runs on dino fuel, not electric cells (my only complaint about the car). I don't use A/C and I always follow steps for optimum mileage, but the distance I have to drive in the suburbs is awful! Trouble is, the city isn't exactly the best place to live in Pittsburgh right now, both in terms of safety and businesses in the area and the port authority is threatening to cut tons of bus routes! There currently are few if any bus routes that go beyond a certain point in the suburbs, and some communities (like where I went today) have no service at all. Many of my friends have moved, so it's tough to carpool anymore.

If we could revitalize our cities somehow, getting everyone into a community where walking, biking, and busing would be practical options, we could reduce some emissions!