The Paris Accord to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions is ambitious and the U.S. has agreed to reduce it’s emissions by 26 to 28 % below 2005 levels by 2025. How do we do it? With breakthrough energy innovations! Leading the charge in these breakthroughs is ARPA-E, the innovation arm of the U.S. Department of… Continue reading Funding Energy Innovations – Dr. Ellen Williams, ARPA-E, Dept of Energy
“Listen for the unexpected,” Nicole Ferrini, El Paso, Texas As the new administration seeks to cut climate change budgets nationwide, Mother Nature doesn’t wait, so local communities are left having to take action regardless of what the federal government does. So, we’re talking with folks on the front lines in our communities who are doing… Continue reading Local Resilience – Nicole Ferrini, Chief Resilience Officer, El Paso, Texas
With the Trump administration cutting energy innovation and climate change initiatives, and saying that the states can pick up the slack, it’s a good time to re-air our enlightening episode with a woman on the front lines of a state leading the way: Catherine Williams of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MCEC). From solar energy… Continue reading States Innovating Energy – Catherine Williams, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
With Congress poised to review President Trump’s proposal to cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 31%, it’s important to look at what the EPA does. One of the coolest EPA programs is the Small Business Innovation Grant (SBIR) program that provides much-needed seed funds to very early stage start-ups. Listen to… Continue reading Funding Eco-Start-ups – April Richards, EPA SBIR Program
With the Trump administration having pulled out of the historic Paris Climate Accord, we thought it a good time to re-air our fascinating episode with the woman on the front lines of implementing that accord: Rachel Kyte, CEO of the United Nation’s Sustainable Energy for All Programme.
Kyte articulates the impetus for the Paris Climate Accord in the first place – and how it can be implemented. It’s a fine dance of diplomacy, technology, science, negotiation, creative business and financial modeling, and entrenched positions – with human survival in the balance.
With our communities on the front lines of climate change risk – homes, businesses, schools and local economies – we are relieved that there are courageous, innovative leaders who are taking action and creating added value (with low budgets). They are using natural solutions and conservation methods that we can all learn. Meet Katharine Burgess, Director of Urban Resilience at the Urban Land Institute, as she shares her insights from working with communities on Green Connections Radio in this conversation with host Joan Michelson. You may want to forward this podcast to your mayor, Congressperson or City Manager – and take notes for your own community!
Maybe you have a great idea or new app you developed that you’re itching to bring to life. Maybe you have a friend who does… Or, maybe you’re an entrepreneur who is running out of funds and fears not being able to continue. If this rings a bell, listen up. This podcast provides vital information about a federal grant program you can apply for. There’s no guarantee you’ll be approved, but you certainly won’t get it if you do not apply. It’s called the Small Business Innovation Research – or SBIR – grants (or STTRs). About half a dozen federal agencies offer them, all with different criteria. The SBIR program we’re talking about today is from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and has an open agenda, focused on the potential of the technology to make a big positive societal impact if it succeeds.
Why do we miss potentially dangerous trends, “a series of warnings and visible evidence”? It might be climate change, water scarcity, an infrastructure that is falling apart beneath our feet, terrorist threats, or an approaching business competitor or trend we had ignored, for example. How do we train ourselves to seepotential dangers we’re missing early enough to address them? Listen to author and global business strategy leader Michele Wucker with Green Connections Radio.
The U.S. infrastructure is literally crumbling beneath our feet and wheels. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave it a D+ in 2017. Cars are falling into sink holes from roads that literally sink, or falling into the water when a bridge collapses. Water pipes are breaking and leaking toxins into our drinking water. Subways… Continue reading 21st Century Infrastructure – Kelly Carnes, TechVision21
Every new presidential administration brings a transition to new priorities – this time, it’s a radical shift into uncertainty. Clean energy and climate-related spending is being cut across the board in the new president’s budget. But Congress has yet to finalize it and advocates for clean energy and climate issues are flexing their muscles. What… Continue reading Opportunities in Government Chaos – Kelly Carnes, TechVision21
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