Web 2.0 is Green, Recession-Proof - The Macroeconomic View

How does the recession tie with the green economy and increased shift toward online advertising? In the early 70's, the sudden shift of oil prices caused severe dislocations. Here is the macroeconomic view for 2008.

• Cause: The double whammy of the mortgage crisis and oil prices created the recession.
• Effect on goods: Consumers have less money; price of goods have inflated - thus buying less stuff.
• Effect on services: The marginal cost of online services is free. Consumers spend more time online - playing, socializing, interacting, creating.
• Effect on gas use: Shift from time spent purchasing goods to consuming online services reduces gas consumption - e.g. commuting costs to buy or work; and eventually publications that depend on gas guzzling lumber, paper mill, print, and mail supply chains.
• Online ad growth: Online websites grow. Advertisers chase the hot action.

The domino effect of dislocations - economic history repeats regularly.

Game Plan for the Green, Growth Economy

1. Consumers: Stay home. Chat by IM, social networks more; play online; telecommute.
2. Entrepreneurs: Export creative services to the globe.
3. Publishers: Timetable to end paper waste.

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Robert Kennedy Jr. at Hawaii's Blue Planet Summit

KHON NEWS

By Tannya Joaquin

The same elements that make Hawaii a tourist hotspot could make our Island home the perfect place to harness alternative energy.

"Hawaii is an Island economy" says Kennedy. "It's a global epicenter for solar power, for geothermal power for wind and for tidal. It doesn't make any sense that Hawaii is 93 percent dependent on oil that's created in the Middle East."

The mission of Hawaii's first Blue Planet Summit is to initiate change in world energy culture, inspired by Native Hawaiian concepts of sustainability.

"Some people consider it might cause an affront to Pele" says Kennedy. "But we have to also think broader, does Pele want us to be serving the God of Exxon?"

Hawaii's Clean Energy initiative sets an ambitious goal-- to have 70 percent of the state's energy needs come from renewable sources by 2030.

According to Kennedy, "What we need to do is rejigger the rules of the free market so the free market does what it's supposed to do which is to reward good behavior which is efficiency and to punish bad behavior which is inefficiency and waste."

Kennedy cites California and Iceland as examples.

Both have made major strides toward clean energy.

"It's not a pipe dream. It's not a fantasy" explains Kennedy. "This is happening and people are making a lot of money doing this. Hawaii needs to jump on the gravy train."

For more information about the 3-day meeting at Ko Olina Resort, go to blueplanetsummit.org

Blue Planet Summit taps array of experts

Star-Bulletin staff

The Blue Planet Foundation is convening an ambitious conference this week in Ko Olina, bringing together dozens of experts in the field to develop tangible ways to advance the goal of clean energy for Hawaii.

The first Blue Planet Summit, which is closed to the public, runs Thursday through Saturday at the Ihilani Resort. The list of speakers and panelists scheduled includes:

» Gov. Linda Lingle

» Robert F. Kennedy Jr., environmentalist

» David McClain, president, University of Hawaii

» Henk Rogers, entrepreneur, founder of Blue Planet Foundation

» Mark Brownstein, managing director, Environmental Defense Fund

» Puanani Burgess, community building facilitator and trainer

» Dr. Heidi Cullen, the Weather Channel

» Neal DeSnoo, energy officer, City of Berkeley, Calif.

» Christine Ervin, former president and chief executive officer of U.S. Green Building Council

» David Garman, former undersecretary, U.S. Department of Energy

» Denis Hayes, chief executive officer, Bullitt Foundation; national coordinator of first Earth Day; chairman, Earthday Network

» Jeffrey R. Izzo, energy officer, Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, U.S. State Department

» Elizabeth Kapuuwailani Lindsey, Ph.D., explorer, National Geographic Society

» Theodore E. Liu, director, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

» Former U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey (R, Calif.)

» Jeff Mikulina, director, Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter

» Hawaii Rep. Hermina Morita (D, Hanalei-Kapaa), chairwoman, Hawaii House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee

» William P. Parks Jr., deputy assistant secretary, Research and Development, U.S. Department of Energy

» Kenneth E. Pringle, mayor of Belmar, N.J.; board of directors, New Jersey Transit

» Stephen Reed, executive director, Blue Planet Foundation

» Richard E. Rocheleau, Ph.D., director, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii

» Tony Rogers, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Utility Commission

» Clyde Sakamoto, chancellor, Maui Community College

» Frank Sesno, CNN journalist

» Ramsay Taum, Native Hawaiian Culture and Sustainability, University of Hawaii at Manoa

» Charmaine Tavares, mayor, Maui County

» Hawaii Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kaneohe-Kailua)

» R. James Woolsey, Vantage Point Venture Partners; former director, Central Intelligence Agency; senior executive adviser, Booz Allen Hamilton