That headline was too good to rewrite, so I took it right off the Forbes article trumpeting the good news that venture capitalists are getting all excited about “green” projects.
Yep, it’s good news. Because I know you want your grandchildren and theirs to enjoy our world with the same freedom of choice you do, right? One of the scarier statistics in this story says that because we humans are flocking back to cities in great numbers, disease can spread more rapidly. And we’re going to be upping our energy consumption significantly. Here’s one scenario:
…the world’s energy usage is estimated to triple to 30 terawatts per year between now and 2050. Energy conversion creates heat. If global warming heats up the globe by just a few more degrees per year (and more than a few scientists sweat this scenario), Iceland will melt just enough to swamp Manhattan and San Francisco in 20 feet of water.
Being buried under 20 feet of water–or dying of Avian flu, are two surefire ways to cut down your choices about how you’re going to live–or not live–your life.
Commercial real estate developers know that more of us are preferring the “togetherness” of cities as opposed to the sprawl of suburbs–witness the multi-use live-work-play environments (like Crocker Park in Westlake, Ohio) they’re building these days instead of mega-shopping-only-malls.
One idea that’s got VCs enthused is a strip that people can put on their tongues that will tell if they’re infected with bird-flu. Read more about other amazing eco-friendly inventions VCs are supporting here.