$7 Trillion for Clean Energy

Blog and Run:

CNN has “Pressure, Private Cash, Driving Clean Energy“  – a quick review on a report from the CERA (Cambridge Energy Research Associate).   Daniel Yergin, the Chairman of the CERA,  is estimating that $7 trillion will be invested in clean energy by the year 2030. 

I personally believe that $7 trillion is probably a light estimate, and they’re pegging wind power as the next big thing, when I think it’s going to be solar, but it’s a great reminder, that even in hard economic times, there are areas that will flourish. 

Waiting For The Pop-Vancouver’s Pending Real Estate Crash

The Washington Post is reporting on the disaster that is the British Columbian Forest industry – that the U.S. housing crisis is about to crush what has long been considered the backbone of the British Columbian economy.

I am very happy that they decided to do a three page spread about the B.C. towns that are falling apart, because I may not have realized how grim the situation really is.  The local Vancouver media would never run a  story like this.

Why?

Because it’s bad economic news,  and we can’t have any bad economic news in our papers, people might stop buying real estate. 

I live in beautiful, Vancouver British Columbia, where for just 70% of your income, you too can live in a three bedroom bungalow.  This is a real estate market that should have cooled down before the end of 2006, but instead it roared through 2007. It roared through however, because people were bombarded with messages like “buy now or be priced out forever”, “real estate only goes up”, or my favourite “it’s different this time”.

The average single family home is now priced at $742k in a community where the average family income is $54k – things have spun completely out of control.  And that’s the problem, I’m afraid that it’s too far out of control. 

There are over 100 communities and 200,000 jobs depending on forestry.  News of their doom could have people questioning whether or not this is the best time to sign up for $4000 or $5000 a month for 40 years.  That of course could start to effect the 280 000 jobs in construction, or the 17500 real estate agents,  that all depend on the boom’s continuing booming.  

The media can’t report anything “anti real estate”, that would upset their advertisers, the ones who buy pages and pages of space to show off their shiny granite counter tops.   Bob Rennie, our local real estate guru,  has more power then the mayor.

So British Columbians have continued their trek through open houses, and have left themselves with a personal savings rate of -7.9%.  Combine that with a province that has a 17% poverty rate, and a government that has spent $1.6 billion on the 2010 Olympics, and we’re stretched real thin.   

But we’ll all keep our heads in the sand.  We’ll buy our Starbucks, and read reports telling us how fantastic we are.  The most controversial topic to cross the news in the past week was the mayor’s request to have fire trucks turn off their sirens at night,  they disturb his sleep.

That, in itself, says so much .   

You Can Still Start A Business in A Recession

Yes, you can start a business in a recession. 

We know the headlines are bad, and this is not downplaying the effect of the economic upheaval the U.S. is facing, but no matter what, the world is not going to stop.  You can still start a business, you can still follow your dream, your entrepreneurial fire; you just have to be a little smarter and a little original. 

Recession fears haven’t slown down the venture capitalists, they invested a 6 year high of $29.7 billion dollars in 2007 :

“The industry’s optimism stems from a belief that many of today’s hottest concepts either are recession-resistant or are developing moneysaving products that may have even more appeal during an economic downturn.

The investment areas spurring the optimistic outlook include: health care and biotech; the Internet; and technology aimed at developing alternative energy, reducing pollution and promoting conservation”

         -Yahoo News

A word of caution, I’ve mentioned it a few times already, this is not the time to head into social networking.   If you don’t already have an idea of how to completely revolutionize social networking – please don’t start now.  I believe I’ve reported on at least 6 new sites in the past month; the market is becoming clogged; this is not the time to try to squeeze in.   

Not that social networking isn’t an important aspect of any marketing/promotional campaign in 2008,  just don’t bet the whole kitty on it – don’t be another social networking site.

Look for a niche – find something new – look towards green, the environment. Just because it’s good, doesn’t mean it’s not profitable, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  I wasn’t kidding about the designer grocery bags - with plastics being banned with increasing freqency, it’s going to take a special bag to stand out at the grocery store. 

Keep your eyes open, look for that opportunity to jump out, and no matter what you do,  write a business plan. Do not just take off running, this is not your college road trip.  Work it through,  there are details you haven’t even thought about thinking about yet. 

I’m putting together a detailed post on what should be included in a business plan.  In the meantime, feel free to email me for a business plan outline. 

I want a woman to win

I admit it,  I want Hilary to win the golden ticket, and I want her to win it because she’s a woman. 

When I say that, it’s not like I’m talking about a dimwitted imbecile, this is Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton.  I could turn this  into a wikipedia page , but suffice to say,  she would not be sitting on Super Tuesday, with 740 delegates under her belt, if she wasn’t extremely intelligent.  No woman in American history has accomplished what she has. 

I’m an avid supporter of Universal Health Care as well.  I believe that to be considered a great and benevolent society, you have to look after your fragile, your weak and your sick.  Admittedly, there are issues with free health care systems, but these issues are normally funding related.  I think we can all agree that the $3.5 trillion being spent on the Iraq war, could have bought alot of band aids.    

It’s time to answer the question, What If?  We haven’t had a woman come this close, to this kind of power, since Margaret Thatcher retired 18 years ago, (Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada, but only for 4 months).  Today, women hold just 16.6% of political positions worldwide.  And not to rub it in, we have a world filled with war, poverty, housing crises, and global warming.  I’m not blaming all the world’s problems on men, I’m just blaming the people in charge — who just happen to be men. 

So, what  if an experienced, intelligent woman was in charge of the most powerful country in the world?

Would women’s wages rise toward parity?

Would daycare be accessible and affordable?

Would women entrepreneurs find more funding opportunities?

Would women owned companies find more government contract opportunities?

Would the whole country smell of daisies and roses?

I don’t know.  I do know that only a woman understands a woman, and I believe that the best opportunity to have women’s issues seriously addressed, is to have a woman in charge. 

Obviously, I’m a Hilary fan, and have been for years, but if you’re cemented in with another candidate, that’s fine with me, I just want to see everyone involved.  What I’m suggesting is this,  if you’re sitting on the fence – and you’re a woman, it’s o.k. to let the estrogen tip you over.  This could be the break that we are all looking for.