Founder's Blog
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Where's my Greener Apple? |
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San Diego, CA - First, I’d like to start off by stating that I’m a firm supporter and loyalist to ‘Mac’ vs. any ‘PC’, despite how I currently feel about the iPhone. I sincerely prefer the brand’s overall reliability and design qualities, and, in fact, all of the content for this website was authored on our 04’ Powerbook G4. I also attribute many of my creative works to the inspiration that the Mac design embodies. So, you can imagine my surprise when I saw CNN’s report on Greenpeace’s effort to expose the toxicity of the iPhone- I was speechless!
While I clearly realize and appreciate what my Mac has done for me, I take personal responsibility for the purchases I make and sincerely try to make my best effort to investigate and ‘listen out’ for reports on the environmental effects my purchases may have on the environment, myself, and others.
Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, told the world that he “reinvented the phone” when Apple came out with its new ‘iPhone’. Below is a Youtube clip of the story Greenpeace broke to the world about how toxic the iPhone actually is:
Has Steve really reinvented the phone?
Scientific tests, arranged by Greenpeace, reveal that Apple's iPhone contains hazardous chemicals. The tests uncovered two types of hazardous substances, some of which have already been eliminated by other mobile phone makers.
View the complete report at the website address below:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/iPhones-hazardous-chemicals
I personally value this kind of “Environmental Review” simply because I am opposed to sheer ignorance. Anyone who really knows me is fully aware that I have not purchased a blackberry and have chosen to wait for prices to drop before purchasing the iPhone. Ever since I laid eyes on the thing, I was “iPhone crazy”, until, of course, that I heard it was toxic and my “iBubble” busted!
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What Green Investors Should Know About Investing in Green Buildings – Part One |
What Green Investors Should Know About Investing in Green Buildings
Part One of a Five Part Series
November 7th, 2007
By Yeves Perez, Editor In Chief
San Diego, CA - Earlier this year, Dallas Kachan of cleantech.com attended a Green Building conference in New York, which asked builders and financiers “What’s the real ROI of building green?” The conclusion: a so-called lack of reliable data is hampering the growth of green building, according to investors, real estate developers, design engineers and many others. Kachan also quoted in his article this comment: “People are building green today on perceived value, not hard numbers,” opined David Wells of the greentech group at venture investor Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, one of the few investors at the sparsely-attended event presented by events company Financial Research Associates. Wells also stated, “You can’t count on a return on investment.” Oh really.
So, in response to Mr. Wells’ strong statements and statements by many others, The Eco Investment Network, Bruce Kahn of Citi Smith Barney, and I set out to educate Green Investors about the ‘true’ Economic State of Green Building in the U.S. and what they should know about investing Green Building. I found it interesting that the conference Mr. Kachan attended focused on “builders” and “financiers” to answer questions in “roundtable discussions” and “impromptu conversations” and that many of them were “unclear of the real costs and real returns of building green”. Our Strategy for November is simple...
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Southern California’s Great Green Rebuild Opportunity |
Part One of a Five Part Series
November 11th, 2007
By Yeves Perez, Editor In Chief
San Diego, CA – As the world witnessed the most devastating wildfires in California’s history, the citizen’s who have endured this tragedy have “absolutely” decided to rebuild their homes, some within hours of watching them burn to the ground. The air quality is thick from the fire’s rage, viewable from space, unhealthy to breathe. However, from the ashes of this disaster, the residents of Southern California are faced with an incredible opportunity to join the fight against Global Warming by rebuilding “Green”.
Local news reports estimate that there were close to 1,500 homes destroyed and countless damaged, hundreds of thousands of acres obliterated, and many commercial, agricultural and recreational businesses lost, all of which caused property damage claims to be as much as “One Billion dollars”. As a break in last week's high, hot “Santa Ana” winds came around, along with a helpful, humid Marine layer that moved in, some evacuees were able to return home to discover what remains for them. But several fires were far from being contained and continued to threaten thousands more homes. Only time will tell what the final tally of ‘homes lost’ will be, and the concern of rebuilding in “high fire zones” needs to be taken seriously. Climate experts are warning that these increasingly destructive Fire Storms are in part due to Climate Change and they’re predicted to get worse.
http://www.knbc.com/slideshow/news/14425945/detail.html
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How Green Will Sustain The Housing Boom and Shock The Nation - Part 2 |
By Yeves Perez, Editor In Chief
San Diego, CA - As the down market drags on,
a glimmer of hope continues to shine on the Green Real Estate market. A recent
number of compelling studies and articles have begun to surface shedding light
on the evidence of “an increased resale value” that has industry experts taking
a closer look at Green.
I’ve had countless discussions with
various experts about the growth potential of “Green Homes” and the consensus is
clear- regardless of designation, new construction or existing, Green homes are
selling. An article I read in Newsweek’s August 6th issue, “The
Color of Sales”, clearly supports this consensus. Karen Springen’s eloquent
opening reads “ THE HOUSING SLUMP notwithstanding, sellers of ecofriendly homes
are seeing green.” The article highlights that, “today’s buyers want to save
money on energy and breathe air without smelly chemicals in the paint. There’s
also the “cool” factor”. The article is short and to the point- but it’s an
important point to make.
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Al Gore’s Generation Global Sustainability Fund |
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT…
Al Gore’s Generation Global
Sustainability Fund
“In a presentation to financial services
media yesterday, former United States vice president Al Gore said sustainable
investing enables financial services professionals and their clients to help
tackle major global environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues,
while generating superior long-term returns.
Gore and business partner David Blood,
who together formed global sustainable investment company Generation, flew into
Sydney yesterday for the official launch of their new sustainability fund,
available to Australian retail investors via Colonial First State ’s FirstChoice
platform,” reported by Money Management, September 20th, 2007.
EIC Poll Closed: "Do You Support Al Gore's Fund"?
Results:
91.7% "YES"
8.3% "No"
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What Green Investors Should Know
About Investing in Green Buildings.
“Those
that invest (in Green Buildings) understand the advantages of green
design—from the health benefits and the resource (energy, water, etc.)conservation.
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San Diego, CA - After roughly two decades of cheap oil, the world has
changed. The price of oil has climbed from under $25 per barrel in
September 2003 to almost $100 per barrel in November 2007. Yes, a 400%
increase.
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