The Sun Devil is in the details by Paula Bernier

Views and Opinions on Green IT (Nov 16 2009) Carbon Footprint , Emissions , Solar

Categories:
Data Center Design: Construction, Container, Data Center Outages, Monitoring, Power and Cooling
Policy: Cap and Trade, Carbon Footprint, Carbon Reduction Commitment, Carbon Tax, Emissions
Power: Biomass, Fossil Fuel, Geothermal, Hydro, Nuclear, Solar, Wind
Application: Cloud Computing, Grid Computing
Technology: Microblogging, Networking, Servers, Storage, Supercomputer

Entities Mentioned


  1. The Sun Devil is in the details by Paula Bernier

    The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo is wrapping up its last day today in Phoenix, Ariz., not far from my home office in Scottsdale. The event featured such environmental lights as former Vice President Al Gore and singer/activist Sheryl Crow as well as speakers from the Discovery Channel, the Green Building Council, the National Geographic Society and leading companies including John Deere and Starbucks.

    The event covered everything from climate change, public transportation, sustainable food strategies, LEED certification and regulatory/political aspects of the green revolution to best environmental practices around water purification, building ventilation and lighting, demolition and more.

     The fact that Greenbuild chose to hold its event here in Phoenix seems to make perfect sense, given this part of Arizona is uniquely positioned to leverage one of its most important natural resources – the sun – for the environmental good. But while there were a handful of examples marched out at the conference highlighting how local businesses and residents are using solar power, and I know two or three new solar panel businesses have popped up in the Valley in the past year or so, it’s amazing how few buildings have solar panels given Phoenix is the sunniest metro area in the nation.

     That’s because builders, while they’re happy to jump on the “green” bandwagon in an effort to garner more business, are typically – and understandably – more interested in the kind of green that goes in their pockets. It’s also because our existing regulatory and business practices weren’t initially set up to reward environmentally friendly practices.

     Of course, with a new presidential administration that appears to be dedicated to energy efficiency and acting to slow global warming, and a green movement that gained new momentum with Mr. Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, things are at least beginning to change. But a lot of change will be required.

     I live in area in north Scottsdale with thousands of homes that could be using solar power, but the neighborhood code book we received upon moving in noted the installation of solar panels on homes in the area were forbidden. However, one of my neighbors was able to get permission for the installation, but only after a lengthy approval process. The lesson to some of the neighbors: No good deed goes unpunished.

     As Chicagoans moving into an area in which there has traditionally been no public transportation except for some limited bus lines, my husband and I were excited a few years ago when there was talk about building a light rail system to connect areas of the far-flung Phoenix area metropolis. Although Phoenix and other areas got the light rail, Scottsdale – which fought tooth-and-nail against it, arguing it would make our city lose its reputation as an old-timey Western city – did not. That decision certainly did retain our old-timey reputation. Nice shootin’ cowboy.

     But my goal here is not to tear down my city, which is beautiful and which I would never leave. Rather, it’s to emphasize that while all this talk about saving energy and the environment is great, we still have a long way to go not only on the national level but also on the grassroots level. And, even more importantly, perhaps the focus and messaging around those that want to push businesses and residential users in the right direction concerning conservation and the environment should talk less about the planet and more about the financial benefits.

     I recently spoke to Arunas A. Chesonis, chairman and CEO of PAETEC, a communications services provider that is now expanding into the energy sector. When I asked him what ultimately will motivate businesses and individuals to embrace the smart grid, here’s what he said: “That’s where the world is headed. They talk about climate change. But whether you believe it or don’t believe it, it doesn’t really matter. You can save money by just being more efficient.”



    Related Articles

Login to comment.

 
HomeAll ArticlesEntitiesQuotesComments Login Register Powered by HiveFire