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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

When I was in the Bay Area last week, I had a meeting with Pvilion, a start-up company with a unique approach and capability to the architectural use of solar PV, and I’m happy to report that they represent a really good prospect for our marketing and public relations services.  I haven’t been too excited about BIPV (building integrated photovoltaics) over the years, but for some reason, this seems quite appealing, for the right client.  Suppose you’re a forward-thinking company and you want a large sculpture or a futuristic parking garage on your campus.  Why not integrate PV, and demonstrate your interest in sustainability?

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Frequent commenter Cameron Atwood sent me this gem on sustainability from a beautifully wise and youthful 76-year-old oceanographer Sylvia Earle that I heartily recommend.  Audio is here.

Thanks, Cameron.  That’s an incredible insight into our responsibilities as human beings vis-a-vis planning for the future.

I’m reminded of my friend Tom Konrad, whom I interviewed for my 2nd book, who said, “We’ve evolved as hunter-gatherers, whose premise is: if it worked last year, we’ll do it again this year.  Long-range planning is not our strong suit.  I don’t want to offend the creationists, but if we had been designed, we would not have that flaw.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Have you ever had the thought that our society is deliberately distracted, confused, and sidetracked from the real issues that matter, focused instead on hot-button concepts, perhaps gay marriage?  It’s fairly clear that the survival of mankind and all life forms here on Earth depends on the actions we take over the next few years to achieve sustainable practices in energy, water, and food.  The planet is warming, the sea levels are rising, the oceans are acidifying, potable water is becoming scarcer, the rain forests are disappearing, and farm lands are becoming deserts. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Though I agree with very few of conservative columnist George Will’s conclusions, I find him to be one of the most impressive intellectuals in our world today. And occasionally, he will let out with something that really resonates with me, like the fallacy of predicting that the future will be a continuation of the past. As he points out, “The future always looks like the past – right up to the point it looks like something different.”

Personally, I see this as inconsistent with some of his conservative principles, and a justification for an abrupt change in some of our practices that are so aggressively depleting our natural resources and destroying our environment. If you believe that the future could look markedly different  from the past, doesn’t that mean that we could be on the precipice (as our scientists almost uniformly tell us) of a network of environmental disasters that will have devastating effects for humanity and all life forms?

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

I was sitting at the train station, writing blog posts, and I happened to overhear one side of a cell phone conversation of the guy sitting next to me, who, before the phone rang, was working on his laptop as well.  Apparently, the young son of a close friend or relative had hit his head on a kitchen counter and needed to be taken to the hospital.  I couldn’t help notice how calm, helpful, and encouraging the man next to me was in his approach.

When he hung up, I leaned over and told him that.  “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” I began, “But that sounds like an alarming situation.  I commend you for how positive you were under circumstances like that.  You’re obviously a very good person.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Whenever possible, I like to take the train as opposed to renting a car. It’s normally less expensive, it’s more sustainable, and affords me the opportunity to read, write, and talk to people.

On the train from Hartford to Philadelphia yesterday, I sat next to a young man studying operatic performance at the Westminster Choir College in New Jersey, one of the world’s great schools for this specialty. He admits that the career opportunities are few, but it’s his dream, and he’s determined to live it. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

It appears that our client Vision Motors may have succeeded in securing the capital it needs to begin soon manufacturing its uniquely attractive design of light-duty battery-electric trucks.  That will mean an important new set of responsibilities for me.  Vision’s CEO Brooks Agnew and I have become friends and colleagues over the last couple of years, and Brooks has repeatedly asked me to act as the company’s chief marketing officer.  In fact, he’s often quipped during our phone calls, “Hey, Craig, I turned down someone else for the marketing job today; I told ‘em, ‘No, sorry, that position’s reserved for Craig Shields.’”  I’m flattered. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

When I was a little boy, I recall a conversation with my father in which he told me his impressions about the characteristics of the people who lived in a few of the states within driving distance of us in Philadelphia.  I’ll never forget this one:  “If you’re not from Vermont, they don’t really want you in Vermont.” 

I laughed when I heard that, but I got a small taste of that concept this morning when I arrived at a local diner in bucolic Windsor, about 50 miles north of the Massachusetts border.  I had made the drive up from Hartford to meet a renewable energy investor I’ve known a few years, but had never met face-to-face. I arrived early, and since the hostess/waitress didn’t recognize me, and detected a notebook in my hand, she announced with a straight face, “If you’re here for a business meeting, there’s an extra charge of $30.”  I smiled to acknowledge the joke.  “Are you with the government?”  No, I assured,” my smile widening, eager to see how far she was willing to take this.  “He’s likely IRS,” a patron joined in.  “No, I promise.” 

I sat down, ordered breakfast, and eventually the mood lightened.  But I couldn’t help think of my father’s observation.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

As I hoped it would be, my college reunion was a feel-good mixture of nostalgia, immersion in some good thinking offered in a few seminars, and revelry with old friends.  But it was also quite productive, from the standpoint of what we’re doing here at 2GreenEnergy. 

I’m not one to glom onto successful friends, and exploit my relationship for my own gain.  In fact, through my 30 years as a business consultant to the Fortune-sized tech and industrial companies, I honestly can’t recall hitting up a single one of my friends for introductions. 

But if you tell your story to enough people, good things happen.  I had at least two dozen conversations with classmates in which they asked me what I’d been up to, and I told them that I write and speak on renewable energy, and try to bring together excellent clean energy projects with the investment community.  Two different people, both really well-heeled, replied, “Oh, I have a few people you should know.  I’ll send them your way.” 

Wow.  I’d regarded these reunions with a certain indifference.  No more.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

As part of my 35-year college reunion this weekend, I gave a short talk at our class breakfast this morning, in which I mentioned 2GreenEnergy, the cause of renewable energy and sustainability more generally.  I’m not sure how much this meant to certain of my classmates, though a few people came up to me afterwards, thanked me, and lamented America’s mysterious and tragic general lack of interest in the subject. 

Next thing I knew, I have been elected a Class Secretary (whose job it is to “blog” in the quarterly magazine and encourage others to do the same).  I suppose that’s the cost of opening one’s mouth.

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