Global Sustaining Equity Management, LLC
2010 Folio
emerging economic opportunities
Live Wisely™
economic system that accentuates stewardship
Our Glōbo
• In light of the worldwide economic paradigm adjustments
that are developing rapidly in business relationships and practices; a
circular, self sustaining and equitable business system is a wise and
profitable model to pursue.
• The U.S. has been leading the world in consumption, and its
lifestyle standard is still the role model for many, however, the
economic reality is fast repositioning the dynamics of growth and
prosperity for the benefits of those who live wisely.
• To Live Wisely is to renovate and innovate the practices in
stewardship of resources and utilization. The thrust is to spearhead
and harvest the fruits through renewable base material and fresh
design of products that can satisfy the genuine demands of the
mass and the affluent alike.
• Globalization of the “one size fits all” model has proven to be
illusive. An economic system that empowers local growth through
cross border cooperation with a platform that maintains diversity and
reconciles differences, is the future of business.
• Our Glōbo was launched by Global Sustaining Equity
Management, LLC (GSEM) to capitalize on the concept of “Live
Wisely” and currently maintains key investment in the growing
market for the toddlers, our future generation. The introduction of
the ECO ~ Go Jackets to the U.S. market has been well received,
and momentum for expansion to the next phase of development is
assured.
• GSEM is committed to and has invested in the stewardship
theme, which is the future of our world’s economy. Key ingredients
include: renewable resources, optimal labor utilization, local facilities,
functional designs, distinct diversity, as well as close interactions
with end users through the harnessing of the communication
technology, just to name a few.
• On the launching pad of Our Glōbo are the full lines of the
ECO ~ GO brand multifunctional gear for toddlers, the offering of
the full spectrum of Live Wisely theme products to include the adult
and corporate markets, and the commencement of the Live Wisely
Cycle material system with locally empowered cutting edge
technology.
Live Wisely™ Coalition
Positioning for Tomorrow
Collaborative Model:
In light of the current economic development, Global Sustaining
Equity Management, LLC (GSEM) plans to assemble a business
system that would allow maximum collaboration of economic
stakeholders that center on reutilization of resources and smart
lifestyle.
New Business Direction:
Global Sustaining Equity Management, LLC intends to procure and
create lines of basic fabric materials that can be reprocessed in
endless cycles. This business builds upon the experience of GSEM’s
Our Globo™ apparel venture, which utilized recycled polyester. This
new business will feature the Live Wisely brand with the inaugural
fabric being recyclable polyester. After the successful launch of this
recyclable polyester enterprise, other market-driven applications will
be developed. Recycling the polyester apparel brings the supply
chain full circle. Furthermore, the increased consumer participation in
the supply chain builds brand commitment and environmental
stewardship.
The Facets of Live Wisely™
(1) Live Wisely™ Products
• Market demand–driven, niche consumer goods with a regional
approach
• Differentiated characteristics (e.g., multifunctional,
technological balance)
• Resource stewardship features
(2) Live Wisely ™ Cycle
• Enormous potential for recyclable and regeneration of base
polyester material
• Superior, inclusive technology vis-à-vis Teijin/Eco Circle
• Significant progress in technology development through
business/academic pact
~ IBM/Stanford Univ.
~ GSEM/Georgia Tech.
(3) Live Wisely™ System
• Diversified income streams
• Global business alliances
• Integrated supply chain
• Fluid response to global economic changes
Articles of the week:
Hot and Steamy
By Byron King
When it comes to harnessing geothermal power, the go-to place on
the planet right now is the Republic of Iceland. Yes, Iceland. It is a
large island at high latitude, composed mostly of dense basalt lava
flows. Iceland straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which provides that
country with an almost direct link to the primordial heat energy
within the mantle of our planet. And that is one all-but-
immeasurable store of energy.
Thus, Iceland is the world’s leading nation in terms of exploiting its
local geothermal power resources. In Iceland, the insiders refer to
the process of extracting geothermal energy as “heat-mining,” and
they are getting rich from the effort.
Recently, the president of Iceland, Olafur Grimsson, visited the U.S.
to speak at a number of events and testify before the U.S. Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
In a speech delivered at Harvard on Sept. 26, President Grimsson
emphasized the importance of geothermal energy to the economy
and society of Iceland. He stated that Iceland has undergone a
“radical transformation” from dependence on coal and oil in the past
30 years. As recently as the 1970s, Iceland was among the poorest
countries within what was then known as the European Common
Market (now called the European Union). That is, by most measures
of gross domestic product and other economic output, Iceland was
an economic laggard.
But then Iceland made a conscious, strategic commitment to
develop its domestic geothermal energy resources. From large
industrial projects down to the level of family housing, Iceland
focused its public and private energy investment on making a
geothermal energy vision into an energy reality. Now, according to
what President Grimsson told his Harvard audience, Iceland is one of
the most affluent nations in the world. Fully 100% of Iceland’s
electricity now comes from renewable sources, geothermal and
hydroelectric, and almost all buildings in Iceland are heated with
geothermal energy. On the whole, about 72% of Iceland’s total
energy usage is tied to geothermal sources, which eliminates
essentially all carbon emissions and dramatically reduces reliance on
imported fossil fuels of any type. According to President Grimsson,
Iceland has “turned this [geothermal power production] into an
extremely profitable business.” For example, electricity is so
inexpensive in Iceland that there is a booming business on the island
that imports bauxite from the Caribbean area for the purposes of
refining aluminum, a highly energy-intensive process.
In comments after his prepared speech at Harvard, President
Grimsson expressed his “astonishment” at the utter paucity of
geothermal power generation in the U.S., merely 0.3% of all
electricity generated across 50 states. And much of that power
comes from one location in California, called the Geysers. President
Grimsson noted that the U.S. sits atop “the second largest
geothermal resources in the world, following only Indonesia.”
President Grimsson concluded that by harnessing the “fireball on
which we sit,” mankind could revolutionize energy production across
the globe.
President Grimsson then took his geothermal views from Cambridge,
Mass., to Washington, D.C., where he spoke to members of the U.S.
Senate. The Senate is considering the National Geothermal Initiative
Act of 2007, which is legislation aimed at promoting the
development of geothermal energy resources within the U.S. The
Senate bill sets a national goal to achieve 20% of total national
electrical output from geothermal resources by 2030, about a 64-
fold increase from the current base line.
In his remarks to the Senate, President Grimsson restated many of
the comments and observations he delivered earlier in the day at
Harvard, adding more perspective. “Our task,” he said “is to find the
technology to harness the fire inside the planet.” Also, “The
companies doing business in Iceland have found that geothermal
energy is over 30% more profitable than any other form of clean
energy today.” President Grimsson noted that 25 years ago, Iceland
“had to beg for corporate investment.” But now companies are lining
up to gain access to Iceland’s low-cost, clean energy opportunities.
In response to a question from Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski,
President Grimsson stated that the geothermal energy resources of
Alaska could serve as an “investment magnet” for that one state
alone, if developed properly.
Alaska is one of the most seismically active regions in the world,
with many geologically controlled areas of significant geothermal
potential. President Grimsson said that geothermal energy
development could be extraordinarily important for Alaska and
provide “alternatives to oil and gas” that help smaller communities
build their economies and improve the lives of their residents.
President Grimsson’s comments dovetail entirely with comments
made last year to the same U.S. Senate committee by Walter Snyder,
director of the Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium. In 2006,
Mr. Snyder focused on the geothermal potential for the Western
parts of the U.S. The energy potential is so vast, he claimed, that no
one really knows its full extent. Some geologists who work in the
field believe that just the state of Nevada alone, already a national
leader in geothermal energy production, could become the world
leader. This is particularly true due to Nevada’s proximity to power-
hungry California, where environmental regulations prevent much in
the way of traditional energy development. Mr. Snyder said that
known but untapped sites in Western states could be developed
within a reasonable time to produce 13,000 megawatts of
geothermal energy, or the equivalent of about 15 nuclear power
plants or 30 coal-fired plants. Mr. Snyder noted that the potential of
the Western U.S. “may actually be two or three times greater” than
that figure.
The outcome of these Senate hearings may well be a major change
in U.S. national energy policy distinctly favoring geothermal energy
production. By itself, just the idea of mandating an increase of total
national electricity production from the current 0.3% geothermal to
20% by 2030 would be the energy equivalent of President Kennedy
declaring in 1962 that “We choose to go to the moon.” But then
again, hey, we took the policy goal and actually went to the moon.
All we have to do with geothermal is go to Nevada or Alaska, or to a
hot spot near you.
So what is currently a very small sector of the U.S. energy business
is on the verge of seeing immense growth, if not just plain
spectacular expansion, over the next two decades. That kind of
arena is exactly where we want to be with our investments. With
policy changes like what we are seeing for geothermal, this is
another moonshot primed to happen.
--Michael Jessen, from ::Discarding the Idea of Waste
Humans are the only species on the planet that don't live by zero
waste principles. Zero waste is a 'call to action' that aims to bring an
end to the current 'take, make and waste' mentality of human
society.
Zero waste is the pinnacle of the hierarchy of waste management.
When there is no waste, we will have moved well beyond the 'end-of-
the-pipe' (compliance) and even 'front-of-the-pipe' (eco-efficiency)
in our approaches to environmental management. Instead, we will
have what William McDonough calls a 'no-pipe approach.' Zero waste
means swimming upstream to the sources of waste generation,
rather than merely reducing the downstream impacts of waste.
Zero waste is a way to create significant employment and economic
development opportunities. Reducing, redesigning, revitalizing,
reusing, refilling, regenerating, recycling, repairing, reclaiming,
refurbishing, restoring, recharging, remanufacturing, reselling,
deconstruction, and composting are the constituents of zero waste --
and all generate productive employment.
Zero waste envisages the complete redesign of the industrial system.
We can no longer view nature as an endless supply of materials for
us to use and discard to landfills or incinerators. All sectors of
society: government, communities, and businesses, must re-envisage
their purpose, so that they no longer base their viability on wasting
the Earth's resources.
Zero waste is the next logical step beyond the short-term goals
established for recycling. It is the cornerstone of a sustainable
materials economy. Instead of managing waste, zero waste teaches
us to manage resources and eliminate waste.
Zero waste is a policy, a path, a target. It is a process, a new way of
thinking. Most of all it is a vision. It represents a new planning
approach for the 21st Century encompassing the principles of
conserving resources, minimizing pollution, maximizing employment
opportunities, and providing the greatest degree of economic self-
reliance.
Zero waste is no longer a theoretical exercise. Most of the processes
already exist and we have more than enough case studies of
community-based waste reduction, reuse, and recycling projects
achieving spectacular results. There has been a dramatic shift in
awareness; people no longer need convincing of the need to divert
resources from the landfill. Society wants the 'how-to' so their
communities can progress from environmental contamination and
high disposal costs to job creation and economic development. Zero
waste is an integral part of a green economy.
Zero waste is a quality concept. Quality means the elimination of
waste. And the elimination of waste is the essence of the meaning of
the word economy. Quality is also a key to competitive advantage in
the global marketplace. Zero waste is excellence: to aim for quality
rather than quantity.
New Study Asks: Can Globalization and Sustainability Coexist?
Source: GreenBiz.com
BERLIN, --
In a blunt assessment of the business operating context in 2027, a
new report sponsored by Shell, Ford, Novo Nordisk, Vodafone, The
Skoll Foundation and others predicts that not only will there be new
rules for sustaining business success over the next twenty years, but
that "the game itself is poised to change profoundly. There will be
winners and losers; but there is no more business as usual." More
than two years in the making, "Raising Our Game: Can We Sustain
Globalization" was released by SustainAbility, a corporate
responsibility and sustainability consultancy.
It exposes the interplay of sustainable development and
globalization that will define the future. "Navigating this terrain will
challenge the global business community like nothing previously
experienced," said co-author John Elkington. The study depicts four
alternate scenarios for the year 2027 in a card game format, where
clubs, hearts, diamonds, and spades represent various combinations
of environmental and societal wins and losses. "Grounded in the
hard realities that business and policy leaders face now and through
2027, Raising Our Game is neither a starry-eyed look at a rosy
future, nor a 'chicken little' prediction of inevitable calamity," said
Jonathan Halperin, SustainAbility's Director of Research and
Advocacy in Washington. "It is about the hard choices we face, and
what they mean for us all down the road. As the stakes rise,
innovation, entrepreneurship, and effectively sourcing ideas and
talent from emerging economies will be essential to managing the
worsening divides that now threaten global stability."
The report's authors say the complexities of globalization and the
evolving global sustainability agenda will define markets and politics
in the 21st century. Where these processes will take the world
business market, as well as their implications for corporate
responsibility and sustainable development are covered in a variety
of ways in the report.
Four scenarios are used to examine a variety of variables in which
society and the environment alternately win or lose. The best-case
scenario, "Hearts," finds a "second Renaissance," a world in which
demography, politics, economics, and sustainability gel. The next-
best situation is called "Spades," and although society wins with the
creation of global, democratic systems, the environment loses when
governments are "unwilling to take the political risks of asking voters
to make sacrifices in favor of the common good." The worst-case
scenarios are "Clubs," wherein the global elites " use environmental
sustainability as an excuse for denying the poor access to their fair
share of natural resources;" and "Diamonds," which finds
demographic trends and the spread of western lifestyles devastating
ecosystems and creating challenges that "disable decision-makers
and overwhelm society's ability to respond effectively."
The report's authors push policymakers and business leaders to
embrace seven recommendations for building a successful
sustainability movement:
1. Plan for the unexpected -- in a world that is accelerating and
becoming more complex, it will be vital to build in flexibility whether
in technology platforms, supply-chains, or human resource policies.
2. Find true South -- the extent to which the interests of the
emerging economies will clash with those of the developed North
can scarcely be exaggerated. So focus sustainability efforts and
investments on regions and cities where the population is booming
and development needs are highest.
3. Don't expect nice companies to come first -- Even the best
corporate citizens can be damaged by scandals, controversies, and
economic discontinuities. Over time the capacity to create true
blended value will become a defining characteristic of tomorrow's
successful global businesses.
4. Co-evolve Earth's immune system -- Social and ecological
shocks are already catalyzing the development of a civil-society-led
'immune system’ for the Earth. Be part of this to help accelerate its
development and serve as a source of market intelligence -- and
creation.
5. Think opportunity -- and innovation -- Reframe social and
environmental issues not just as risks but also as sizeable market
opportunities.
6. S-t-r-e-t-c-h -- The scale of the challenges is immense and will
require radical approaches to catalyze breakthrough solutions.
Business and other leaders will need to reach beyond their comfort
zones in finding new models, new technologies, and new partners in
sourcing -- and scaling -- solutions.
7. Do the politics -- This agenda is now political. Get involved and
take stands. The time has come for the vision, courage, innovation,
and enterprise needed to leapfrog into a different world.
The full report, "Raising Our Game: Can We Sustain Globalization" is
available for download from GreenBiz.
We would like to invite you to visit and share with us your
thoughts on any topic at :
www.ourglobo.wordpress.com
GO ! GlobO
Navigating the Icebergs of the Global Debt Crisis
Bill Bonner from Baltimore, Maryland...
While the whole nation seems to have bought into the 'recovery,'
idea, we remain very skeptical. Some of the numbers seem to have
bottomed out. But they are still terrible...and will probably begin a
new decline soon.
We say that because the underlying causes of the downturn
remain unfixed...and because the government is unfixing it even
more.
Stock market investors seem to think that this gives them a great
opportunity to make money. But it's hard to see how stocks could
advance very much further, with the winds of de-leveraging
blowing in their faces...and icebergs of debt still floating hither
and yon.
As near as we can tell, the USS Economy is in the middle of a
dangerous iceflow...and steaming ahead much too fast.
The smart money is putting on life vests and buying gold...and
getting in the lifeboats.
Fab Finance
"Fabulous Fab" Tourre was forced to appear before the US
Senate. The senators may not have been able to tell a derivative
from a hole in the ground, but they knew what the mob wanted -
blood.
Fabulous Fab is a sideshow. The real story is fab finance. And at
some point in the future, the effect of modern financial theory will
become clear: it turns little problems into big ones.
Naturally, Tourre comes from the math-mad French school
system. All they care about is numbers. Because you can crunch
them, massage them, and twist them into whatever shape you want.
If you look at the financial industry over the past two or three
decades, you see more or less the same trends - economists
turned into mathematicians, investors turned into gamblers, and
finance professionals turned into conmen.
But behind these trends is a bigger one: little, current risks have
turned into much bigger future ones. Mutual funds took away the
risk of selecting a single bad company but they increased the risk
that the whole stock market might become dangerously
overvalued. Likewise, other new investment vehicles removed
from the investor the burden of making his own decisions. He
didn't have to study balance sheets or meet company executives.
He needn't worry that his office building would be struck by
lightning or that his favorite new technology would be upstaged by
even newer technology. The investment industry made it easy for
him. He could now act with the insouciance of a mortgage lender;
he could buy an ETF or a REIT.
The man on the street found himself in a similar territory. No
longer were his financial risks entirely his own. If he fell sick, he
could count on the National Health Service in England...and now
Obama's new nationalized health care program in America. And in
the largest financial takeover of all time, the government took on
the burden of retirement finance too. Now the consumer could
spend all his money, rather than save it. Grasshoppers and aunts -
both got about the same government pension check. And now,
society no longer faces the risk that some retirees will go broke;
now it faces the risk that they all will.
The rise of the state corresponds to a decline in individual
judgment. The idea was to eliminate the risks of personal failure
by socializing them, much in the way an insurance company spreads
the risk of fire hazard among hundreds of different homeowners.
Thus did the risk that one or two individual mortgages might go
bad get replaced by the risk that the whole housing market would
go bad. And instead of a relatively few bad decisions by a few bad
bankers, we got a whole rotten mortgage industry. As for the risk
that the homeowners might turn into pyromaniacs...the quants
chose to ignore it. Then, in 2007, the whole town burned down.
The banks took horrible losses. The state rushed to the scene. It
put out the fire at AIG, for example, and thereby kept the sparks
off Goldman's roof. Iceland...Greece...Britain...the US - all poured
liquidity onto the small forest brushfires...while debt tinder piled
up in their public accounts. The big banks were saved. But now,
government's own credit is at risk. From the householder to the
mortgage lender to the big banks to the small governments to the
big governments - fab finance pushes the costs of error into the
future and onto a bigger and bigger pool of chumps.
Gracious Uncertainty
Apr
29
2010
. . . it has not yet been revealed what we shall be . . . —1 John 3:2
Our natural inclination is to be so precise—trying always to
forecast accurately what will happen next—that we look upon
uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some
predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life.
The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our
uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common
sense says, “Well, what if I were in that circumstance?” We
cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we
have never been.
Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life—gracious
uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God
means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what
tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of
sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation.
We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As
soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has
placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.
When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular
belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God—it is
only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “. . . unless you . . .
become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3 ). The spiritual life is
the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of
what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs,
we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical,
and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and
settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is
full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said,
“. . . believe also in Me” (John 14:1 ), not, “Believe certain things
about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and
graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain
that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.
2010 Folio
emerging economic opportunities
Live Wisely™
economic system that accentuates stewardship
Our Glōbo
• In light of the worldwide economic paradigm adjustments
that are developing rapidly in business relationships and practices; a
circular, self sustaining and equitable business system is a wise and
profitable model to pursue.
• The U.S. has been leading the world in consumption, and its
lifestyle standard is still the role model for many, however, the
economic reality is fast repositioning the dynamics of growth and
prosperity for the benefits of those who live wisely.
• To Live Wisely is to renovate and innovate the practices in
stewardship of resources and utilization. The thrust is to spearhead
and harvest the fruits through renewable base material and fresh
design of products that can satisfy the genuine demands of the
mass and the affluent alike.
• Globalization of the “one size fits all” model has proven to be
illusive. An economic system that empowers local growth through
cross border cooperation with a platform that maintains diversity and
reconciles differences, is the future of business.
• Our Glōbo was launched by Global Sustaining Equity
Management, LLC (GSEM) to capitalize on the concept of “Live
Wisely” and currently maintains key investment in the growing
market for the toddlers, our future generation. The introduction of
the ECO ~ Go Jackets to the U.S. market has been well received,
and momentum for expansion to the next phase of development is
assured.
• GSEM is committed to and has invested in the stewardship
theme, which is the future of our world’s economy. Key ingredients
include: renewable resources, optimal labor utilization, local facilities,
functional designs, distinct diversity, as well as close interactions
with end users through the harnessing of the communication
technology, just to name a few.
• On the launching pad of Our Glōbo are the full lines of the
ECO ~ GO brand multifunctional gear for toddlers, the offering of
the full spectrum of Live Wisely theme products to include the adult
and corporate markets, and the commencement of the Live Wisely
Cycle material system with locally empowered cutting edge
technology.
Live Wisely™ Coalition
Positioning for Tomorrow
Collaborative Model:
In light of the current economic development, Global Sustaining
Equity Management, LLC (GSEM) plans to assemble a business
system that would allow maximum collaboration of economic
stakeholders that center on reutilization of resources and smart
lifestyle.
New Business Direction:
Global Sustaining Equity Management, LLC intends to procure and
create lines of basic fabric materials that can be reprocessed in
endless cycles. This business builds upon the experience of GSEM’s
Our Globo™ apparel venture, which utilized recycled polyester. This
new business will feature the Live Wisely brand with the inaugural
fabric being recyclable polyester. After the successful launch of this
recyclable polyester enterprise, other market-driven applications will
be developed. Recycling the polyester apparel brings the supply
chain full circle. Furthermore, the increased consumer participation in
the supply chain builds brand commitment and environmental
stewardship.
The Facets of Live Wisely™
(1) Live Wisely™ Products
• Market demand–driven, niche consumer goods with a regional
approach
• Differentiated characteristics (e.g., multifunctional,
technological balance)
• Resource stewardship features
(2) Live Wisely ™ Cycle
• Enormous potential for recyclable and regeneration of base
polyester material
• Superior, inclusive technology vis-à-vis Teijin/Eco Circle
• Significant progress in technology development through
business/academic pact
~ IBM/Stanford Univ.
~ GSEM/Georgia Tech.
(3) Live Wisely™ System
• Diversified income streams
• Global business alliances
• Integrated supply chain
• Fluid response to global economic changes
Articles of the week:
Hot and Steamy
By Byron King
When it comes to harnessing geothermal power, the go-to place on
the planet right now is the Republic of Iceland. Yes, Iceland. It is a
large island at high latitude, composed mostly of dense basalt lava
flows. Iceland straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which provides that
country with an almost direct link to the primordial heat energy
within the mantle of our planet. And that is one all-but-
immeasurable store of energy.
Thus, Iceland is the world’s leading nation in terms of exploiting its
local geothermal power resources. In Iceland, the insiders refer to
the process of extracting geothermal energy as “heat-mining,” and
they are getting rich from the effort.
Recently, the president of Iceland, Olafur Grimsson, visited the U.S.
to speak at a number of events and testify before the U.S. Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
In a speech delivered at Harvard on Sept. 26, President Grimsson
emphasized the importance of geothermal energy to the economy
and society of Iceland. He stated that Iceland has undergone a
“radical transformation” from dependence on coal and oil in the past
30 years. As recently as the 1970s, Iceland was among the poorest
countries within what was then known as the European Common
Market (now called the European Union). That is, by most measures
of gross domestic product and other economic output, Iceland was
an economic laggard.
But then Iceland made a conscious, strategic commitment to
develop its domestic geothermal energy resources. From large
industrial projects down to the level of family housing, Iceland
focused its public and private energy investment on making a
geothermal energy vision into an energy reality. Now, according to
what President Grimsson told his Harvard audience, Iceland is one of
the most affluent nations in the world. Fully 100% of Iceland’s
electricity now comes from renewable sources, geothermal and
hydroelectric, and almost all buildings in Iceland are heated with
geothermal energy. On the whole, about 72% of Iceland’s total
energy usage is tied to geothermal sources, which eliminates
essentially all carbon emissions and dramatically reduces reliance on
imported fossil fuels of any type. According to President Grimsson,
Iceland has “turned this [geothermal power production] into an
extremely profitable business.” For example, electricity is so
inexpensive in Iceland that there is a booming business on the island
that imports bauxite from the Caribbean area for the purposes of
refining aluminum, a highly energy-intensive process.
In comments after his prepared speech at Harvard, President
Grimsson expressed his “astonishment” at the utter paucity of
geothermal power generation in the U.S., merely 0.3% of all
electricity generated across 50 states. And much of that power
comes from one location in California, called the Geysers. President
Grimsson noted that the U.S. sits atop “the second largest
geothermal resources in the world, following only Indonesia.”
President Grimsson concluded that by harnessing the “fireball on
which we sit,” mankind could revolutionize energy production across
the globe.
President Grimsson then took his geothermal views from Cambridge,
Mass., to Washington, D.C., where he spoke to members of the U.S.
Senate. The Senate is considering the National Geothermal Initiative
Act of 2007, which is legislation aimed at promoting the
development of geothermal energy resources within the U.S. The
Senate bill sets a national goal to achieve 20% of total national
electrical output from geothermal resources by 2030, about a 64-
fold increase from the current base line.
In his remarks to the Senate, President Grimsson restated many of
the comments and observations he delivered earlier in the day at
Harvard, adding more perspective. “Our task,” he said “is to find the
technology to harness the fire inside the planet.” Also, “The
companies doing business in Iceland have found that geothermal
energy is over 30% more profitable than any other form of clean
energy today.” President Grimsson noted that 25 years ago, Iceland
“had to beg for corporate investment.” But now companies are lining
up to gain access to Iceland’s low-cost, clean energy opportunities.
In response to a question from Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski,
President Grimsson stated that the geothermal energy resources of
Alaska could serve as an “investment magnet” for that one state
alone, if developed properly.
Alaska is one of the most seismically active regions in the world,
with many geologically controlled areas of significant geothermal
potential. President Grimsson said that geothermal energy
development could be extraordinarily important for Alaska and
provide “alternatives to oil and gas” that help smaller communities
build their economies and improve the lives of their residents.
President Grimsson’s comments dovetail entirely with comments
made last year to the same U.S. Senate committee by Walter Snyder,
director of the Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium. In 2006,
Mr. Snyder focused on the geothermal potential for the Western
parts of the U.S. The energy potential is so vast, he claimed, that no
one really knows its full extent. Some geologists who work in the
field believe that just the state of Nevada alone, already a national
leader in geothermal energy production, could become the world
leader. This is particularly true due to Nevada’s proximity to power-
hungry California, where environmental regulations prevent much in
the way of traditional energy development. Mr. Snyder said that
known but untapped sites in Western states could be developed
within a reasonable time to produce 13,000 megawatts of
geothermal energy, or the equivalent of about 15 nuclear power
plants or 30 coal-fired plants. Mr. Snyder noted that the potential of
the Western U.S. “may actually be two or three times greater” than
that figure.
The outcome of these Senate hearings may well be a major change
in U.S. national energy policy distinctly favoring geothermal energy
production. By itself, just the idea of mandating an increase of total
national electricity production from the current 0.3% geothermal to
20% by 2030 would be the energy equivalent of President Kennedy
declaring in 1962 that “We choose to go to the moon.” But then
again, hey, we took the policy goal and actually went to the moon.
All we have to do with geothermal is go to Nevada or Alaska, or to a
hot spot near you.
So what is currently a very small sector of the U.S. energy business
is on the verge of seeing immense growth, if not just plain
spectacular expansion, over the next two decades. That kind of
arena is exactly where we want to be with our investments. With
policy changes like what we are seeing for geothermal, this is
another moonshot primed to happen.
--Michael Jessen, from ::Discarding the Idea of Waste
Humans are the only species on the planet that don't live by zero
waste principles. Zero waste is a 'call to action' that aims to bring an
end to the current 'take, make and waste' mentality of human
society.
Zero waste is the pinnacle of the hierarchy of waste management.
When there is no waste, we will have moved well beyond the 'end-of-
the-pipe' (compliance) and even 'front-of-the-pipe' (eco-efficiency)
in our approaches to environmental management. Instead, we will
have what William McDonough calls a 'no-pipe approach.' Zero waste
means swimming upstream to the sources of waste generation,
rather than merely reducing the downstream impacts of waste.
Zero waste is a way to create significant employment and economic
development opportunities. Reducing, redesigning, revitalizing,
reusing, refilling, regenerating, recycling, repairing, reclaiming,
refurbishing, restoring, recharging, remanufacturing, reselling,
deconstruction, and composting are the constituents of zero waste --
and all generate productive employment.
Zero waste envisages the complete redesign of the industrial system.
We can no longer view nature as an endless supply of materials for
us to use and discard to landfills or incinerators. All sectors of
society: government, communities, and businesses, must re-envisage
their purpose, so that they no longer base their viability on wasting
the Earth's resources.
Zero waste is the next logical step beyond the short-term goals
established for recycling. It is the cornerstone of a sustainable
materials economy. Instead of managing waste, zero waste teaches
us to manage resources and eliminate waste.
Zero waste is a policy, a path, a target. It is a process, a new way of
thinking. Most of all it is a vision. It represents a new planning
approach for the 21st Century encompassing the principles of
conserving resources, minimizing pollution, maximizing employment
opportunities, and providing the greatest degree of economic self-
reliance.
Zero waste is no longer a theoretical exercise. Most of the processes
already exist and we have more than enough case studies of
community-based waste reduction, reuse, and recycling projects
achieving spectacular results. There has been a dramatic shift in
awareness; people no longer need convincing of the need to divert
resources from the landfill. Society wants the 'how-to' so their
communities can progress from environmental contamination and
high disposal costs to job creation and economic development. Zero
waste is an integral part of a green economy.
Zero waste is a quality concept. Quality means the elimination of
waste. And the elimination of waste is the essence of the meaning of
the word economy. Quality is also a key to competitive advantage in
the global marketplace. Zero waste is excellence: to aim for quality
rather than quantity.
New Study Asks: Can Globalization and Sustainability Coexist?
Source: GreenBiz.com
BERLIN, --
In a blunt assessment of the business operating context in 2027, a
new report sponsored by Shell, Ford, Novo Nordisk, Vodafone, The
Skoll Foundation and others predicts that not only will there be new
rules for sustaining business success over the next twenty years, but
that "the game itself is poised to change profoundly. There will be
winners and losers; but there is no more business as usual." More
than two years in the making, "Raising Our Game: Can We Sustain
Globalization" was released by SustainAbility, a corporate
responsibility and sustainability consultancy.
It exposes the interplay of sustainable development and
globalization that will define the future. "Navigating this terrain will
challenge the global business community like nothing previously
experienced," said co-author John Elkington. The study depicts four
alternate scenarios for the year 2027 in a card game format, where
clubs, hearts, diamonds, and spades represent various combinations
of environmental and societal wins and losses. "Grounded in the
hard realities that business and policy leaders face now and through
2027, Raising Our Game is neither a starry-eyed look at a rosy
future, nor a 'chicken little' prediction of inevitable calamity," said
Jonathan Halperin, SustainAbility's Director of Research and
Advocacy in Washington. "It is about the hard choices we face, and
what they mean for us all down the road. As the stakes rise,
innovation, entrepreneurship, and effectively sourcing ideas and
talent from emerging economies will be essential to managing the
worsening divides that now threaten global stability."
The report's authors say the complexities of globalization and the
evolving global sustainability agenda will define markets and politics
in the 21st century. Where these processes will take the world
business market, as well as their implications for corporate
responsibility and sustainable development are covered in a variety
of ways in the report.
Four scenarios are used to examine a variety of variables in which
society and the environment alternately win or lose. The best-case
scenario, "Hearts," finds a "second Renaissance," a world in which
demography, politics, economics, and sustainability gel. The next-
best situation is called "Spades," and although society wins with the
creation of global, democratic systems, the environment loses when
governments are "unwilling to take the political risks of asking voters
to make sacrifices in favor of the common good." The worst-case
scenarios are "Clubs," wherein the global elites " use environmental
sustainability as an excuse for denying the poor access to their fair
share of natural resources;" and "Diamonds," which finds
demographic trends and the spread of western lifestyles devastating
ecosystems and creating challenges that "disable decision-makers
and overwhelm society's ability to respond effectively."
The report's authors push policymakers and business leaders to
embrace seven recommendations for building a successful
sustainability movement:
1. Plan for the unexpected -- in a world that is accelerating and
becoming more complex, it will be vital to build in flexibility whether
in technology platforms, supply-chains, or human resource policies.
2. Find true South -- the extent to which the interests of the
emerging economies will clash with those of the developed North
can scarcely be exaggerated. So focus sustainability efforts and
investments on regions and cities where the population is booming
and development needs are highest.
3. Don't expect nice companies to come first -- Even the best
corporate citizens can be damaged by scandals, controversies, and
economic discontinuities. Over time the capacity to create true
blended value will become a defining characteristic of tomorrow's
successful global businesses.
4. Co-evolve Earth's immune system -- Social and ecological
shocks are already catalyzing the development of a civil-society-led
'immune system’ for the Earth. Be part of this to help accelerate its
development and serve as a source of market intelligence -- and
creation.
5. Think opportunity -- and innovation -- Reframe social and
environmental issues not just as risks but also as sizeable market
opportunities.
6. S-t-r-e-t-c-h -- The scale of the challenges is immense and will
require radical approaches to catalyze breakthrough solutions.
Business and other leaders will need to reach beyond their comfort
zones in finding new models, new technologies, and new partners in
sourcing -- and scaling -- solutions.
7. Do the politics -- This agenda is now political. Get involved and
take stands. The time has come for the vision, courage, innovation,
and enterprise needed to leapfrog into a different world.
The full report, "Raising Our Game: Can We Sustain Globalization" is
available for download from GreenBiz.
We would like to invite you to visit and share with us your
thoughts on any topic at :
www.ourglobo.wordpress.com
GO ! GlobO
Navigating the Icebergs of the Global Debt Crisis
Bill Bonner from Baltimore, Maryland...
While the whole nation seems to have bought into the 'recovery,'
idea, we remain very skeptical. Some of the numbers seem to have
bottomed out. But they are still terrible...and will probably begin a
new decline soon.
We say that because the underlying causes of the downturn
remain unfixed...and because the government is unfixing it even
more.
Stock market investors seem to think that this gives them a great
opportunity to make money. But it's hard to see how stocks could
advance very much further, with the winds of de-leveraging
blowing in their faces...and icebergs of debt still floating hither
and yon.
As near as we can tell, the USS Economy is in the middle of a
dangerous iceflow...and steaming ahead much too fast.
The smart money is putting on life vests and buying gold...and
getting in the lifeboats.
Fab Finance
"Fabulous Fab" Tourre was forced to appear before the US
Senate. The senators may not have been able to tell a derivative
from a hole in the ground, but they knew what the mob wanted -
blood.
Fabulous Fab is a sideshow. The real story is fab finance. And at
some point in the future, the effect of modern financial theory will
become clear: it turns little problems into big ones.
Naturally, Tourre comes from the math-mad French school
system. All they care about is numbers. Because you can crunch
them, massage them, and twist them into whatever shape you want.
If you look at the financial industry over the past two or three
decades, you see more or less the same trends - economists
turned into mathematicians, investors turned into gamblers, and
finance professionals turned into conmen.
But behind these trends is a bigger one: little, current risks have
turned into much bigger future ones. Mutual funds took away the
risk of selecting a single bad company but they increased the risk
that the whole stock market might become dangerously
overvalued. Likewise, other new investment vehicles removed
from the investor the burden of making his own decisions. He
didn't have to study balance sheets or meet company executives.
He needn't worry that his office building would be struck by
lightning or that his favorite new technology would be upstaged by
even newer technology. The investment industry made it easy for
him. He could now act with the insouciance of a mortgage lender;
he could buy an ETF or a REIT.
The man on the street found himself in a similar territory. No
longer were his financial risks entirely his own. If he fell sick, he
could count on the National Health Service in England...and now
Obama's new nationalized health care program in America. And in
the largest financial takeover of all time, the government took on
the burden of retirement finance too. Now the consumer could
spend all his money, rather than save it. Grasshoppers and aunts -
both got about the same government pension check. And now,
society no longer faces the risk that some retirees will go broke;
now it faces the risk that they all will.
The rise of the state corresponds to a decline in individual
judgment. The idea was to eliminate the risks of personal failure
by socializing them, much in the way an insurance company spreads
the risk of fire hazard among hundreds of different homeowners.
Thus did the risk that one or two individual mortgages might go
bad get replaced by the risk that the whole housing market would
go bad. And instead of a relatively few bad decisions by a few bad
bankers, we got a whole rotten mortgage industry. As for the risk
that the homeowners might turn into pyromaniacs...the quants
chose to ignore it. Then, in 2007, the whole town burned down.
The banks took horrible losses. The state rushed to the scene. It
put out the fire at AIG, for example, and thereby kept the sparks
off Goldman's roof. Iceland...Greece...Britain...the US - all poured
liquidity onto the small forest brushfires...while debt tinder piled
up in their public accounts. The big banks were saved. But now,
government's own credit is at risk. From the householder to the
mortgage lender to the big banks to the small governments to the
big governments - fab finance pushes the costs of error into the
future and onto a bigger and bigger pool of chumps.
Gracious Uncertainty
Apr
29
2010
. . . it has not yet been revealed what we shall be . . . —1 John 3:2
Our natural inclination is to be so precise—trying always to
forecast accurately what will happen next—that we look upon
uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some
predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life.
The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our
uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common
sense says, “Well, what if I were in that circumstance?” We
cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we
have never been.
Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life—gracious
uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God
means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what
tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of
sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation.
We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As
soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has
placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.
When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular
belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God—it is
only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “. . . unless you . . .
become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3 ). The spiritual life is
the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of
what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs,
we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical,
and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and
settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is
full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said,
“. . . believe also in Me” (John 14:1 ), not, “Believe certain things
about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and
graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain
that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.
Global Sustaining Equity Management, LLC
" sustaining the globe "
" sustaining the globe "
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