Vail Goes Green

Yes, indeed, the symbol of indulgence, the giant Vail ski resort, has set a goal to cut energy use by 10%. Actually, some of these measures are to cut purchased energy use, as in putting solar panels on the roof of one of the restaurants. That might not cut the total energy consumption, but it will cut Vail's energy bills from local utilities. Still, there are some notes in this article that caution against assuming that energy reductions are easy to achieve.

Exciting, Environmentally Friendly, and Profitable

This article by Daniel Gross contrasts the "old industry" financial folks in New York with the "cleantech" innovators in California. Cleantech sounds like being a lot more fun than banking and finance. (Well, okay, a lot of things sound like more fun than banking.) Someone once told me that many doctors went into medicine because it offered a way to do well while doing good. Cleantech has some of that same appeal.

Denver's in the Green

The accompanying article might have been more timely if I had posted it here as soon as it appeared in Slate, but I don't think it's a really time-sensitive piece.

For those interested in the environment, in the "green economy," or in how technology is affected the employment picture, this is interesting stuff.

Green Thoughts

Daniel Gross wrote an article for Slate.com recently about green technology and its economic possibilities. In the The Real "Green" Innovation, Gross talks about tax incentives and other methods of encouraging people to adopt alternative energy sources. His conclusion is that, "the future of the alternative-energy industry now depends far more on financial engineering than mechanical engineering."

Some good stuff about the conditions necessary for a greener lifestyle on a scale that might do some global good.