Writing on XMas/New Years Break

Alright. Well I made it to Christmas break. 4 Weeks of work with some overtime sprinkled in, I worked last weekend so I just got off working about 12 days in a row. It's good to have time off. I was pretty beat, my hands pretty torn apart by the end of the first stretch (I can't wait for summer and 110 degree weather).

Anyways, I haven't been posting because I am going to transcribe this experience and my greater worldview into a book. I think the country needs it -- next year a clean energy bill will roll around and I want to do everything in my power to support it. Therefore, I am attempting to write Greenlighting America in the next several months, while simultaneously working installing solar panels, and this will be the framework for a story about rebuilding a nation ripped apart by the liberal/conservative binary and unable to function as a whole. Hopefully I can complete it, and it can be my magnum opus. I have already started writing, which is difficult--yet I already know all of what I want and will say, I just need it to crystallize more into a more concrete narrative that I can give to my country, and the world. It is not a story about me, and what I am doing, it is about them, and us, our collective ambition and future, Our Choice but AMERICA's choice, to support and lead the world in clean energy initiatives or fall behind and play follow the leader for the rest of her future.

I will write it. It may not be published, but I will write it. The ideas are there, the voice notes are already being recorded, my heart is in it. I feel it is my purpose, and my calling, and now I just have to structure and create it. I'll keep you updated, but blog posts will certainly fall off. I am going to have to give a lot of time to this, and we will see how it goes.


Here's a quick mock up sketch of the cover:





Until next time,
Ryan

One Week In

It's been a good three weeks since my last post, but I've been busy--driving across the country during the week of Thanksgiving (and my 23rd birthday), relocating in Arizona and starting a new job as a solar installer. I am officially one week in, and I've been busy as hell.

The days are long and the work is tough but I am loving it so far. The pace is decent and the crew leads and other workers at the company are great guys. My lack of construction experience has been somewhat of a tell, but I am learning fast and will turn it around inside of a few weeks (I've already learned more than I ever thought I'd care to know about construction). But you can't blend in immediately or hide the lack of experience--the second day on the job my crew lead asked me if I had used power tools much before...

But all this week I logged a lot of tool hours. Truth is I hadn't much and it's a lot to wrap you're head around regarding impact guns, sawzalls, lineman's pliers, etc etc. But I learn fast, and I have something to prove.

THIS COMPANY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT I SEEK TO PROVE--

These guys are from all over the country. Many are not even progressive or even remotely liberal-- my supervisor listens to Limbaugh, watches Fox News, yet works as an installer. He has worked the last 35 years as a framer and moved all across the nation, yet spent the last 16-17 years in Arizona during the construction boom there. But then it slowed, and he was out of work. He said that he had even just started his own company before the bottom fell out...And as he said, usually when the construction industry was down somewhere it was booming somewhere else, but now there is nowhere left to go...

But he knows construction and knows wiring and he has learned all about solar installation. He has worked for Allwest for 7-8 months now, and is working essentially a Green Collar Job, and making decent money I'm sure.

This is what I want to share, the story I want to tell. Hell, I'm writing a book I think--I have mentally committed myself to do so. Our country can fill a void created by the wedge of American partisanship and unite as a nation for the first time in decades. Just as in this company a forty-something year old conservative can be willing to work with a 23 year old from Boston that has little construction experience, and be civil, friendly and willing to train and educate me regarding the industry, so too can this country come together and create countless jobs, industries and markets for businesses and practices that are good for not only ourselves, but also our environment and the world as a whole.

Here is a picture of the first install I worked on in Fountain Hills, Arizona:



So there is nowhere left to go, as Mike said--we have been everywhere and built everywhere. So what is next, then?---we must recreate our infrastructure, what we have built, make it more efficient and perfect it and gain knowledge, good work, and a renewed sense of confidence in the process. Essentially build on top of what we have, if there is no where left to sprawl. Its basically America's manifest destiny on the next plane, we have conquered the continent from coast to coast but know we must harness the power of the sun and look to the stars. And in doing this, in creating a Green, clean energy economy we can heal a nation that has lost itself among the divisiveness that has defined America, in reality, since the Vietnam War or even post WWII.

Grid Parity by 2015

Check out this blog post on GOOD.is, a great site, self-described as "a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward." (Jump to end of post if you want to skip reading about GOOD, and read about blog post mentioned...)

Off their Facebook page:

"GOOD - a platform for people who want to do well by doing good. We engage and challenge the people, ideas and institutions driving change in the world."


Littered across the site are "Good is.." phrases, for example, "Good is transparency," a section which provides infographics and other informative material that helps shed light on difficult and complex topics, countless environmental issues, and just simple factual research that is depicted in an interesting and eye-catching format.

ex, "What Country Eats the Most Meat":





So enough about GOOD, a great site worth some web-time on a daily basis...

Today, I was reading a GOOD blog post about solar parity, the point at which Solar Energy will be equal to or less than utility purchased electricity in cost. According to the surveys referenced, which collaborate prior estimates and studies from different parties, this will be achieved by 2015. This is great news, and means that this industry, which has been gaining momentum (averaging 35% annual growth the last several years) is about to explode to an unprecedented degree. Solar will be EVERYWHERE in 2015 and beyond, and this is very exciting news.


"Countdown to 'Grid-Parity'"







"Put economics into perspective. The purpose of an education should not be to support economies–economies should support people."

- ed4wb.org (Education for Well-Being)

Gen We Revisited (Gen We Can [and will])

I haven't got around to posting as of late -- I am trying to figure out the logistics of relocating to Arizona, and fast (I am planning to leave after Thanksgiving).

A lot is happening though, and some things I want to cover soon are:

1) COP15
2) Lindsey Graham as the next Clean Energy Advocate - and my hero, for doing so in the wake of denouncement from his fellow party members. Perfect example of how clean energy is a non-partisan agenda. If he began enacting sound Clean Energy Legislation and ran as a Conservative with this dimension on his agenda, I'd vote for him in a heartbeat....
3) Some flip-flopping on climate issues that is readily taking place in the Senate, climate-deniers in general
4) Why Gore and Kerry are also my heroes, after both narrowly losing the Presidency but still wrestling in Congress to promote/propose/pass Clean Energy legislation.

BUT, none of this will be covered in this post...

What is more important ---I stumbled across brilliance today:



www.gen-we.com

I had certainly seen the commercial before somewhere at somepoint, which is now on youtube, it seemed all too familiar. But what I consciously discovered today was something that made me overjoyed, a beautiful piece of writing (and available free as a .pdf online) that is compelling and confirms what I have had faith in for some time now.

I began this blog with a post sub-titled 'Gen Y Will Save the World.' I had a firm conviction regarding this notion, but was worried that it seemed to exclusive or that it would seem self-serving. After finishing Van Jones' Green Collar Economy, I was even more worried, and debated editing the post in extreme retroactive fashion. (A central part of Van Jones' work is bringing the Green movement out of the 'elitist' realm in which it currently resides, and ensuring it moves into the mainstream or else it will not succeed if it resides solely among the 'eco-elite')

So, a little reserved, but still holding out hope that my Generation was the answer - I stumbled today upon quite possibly one of the most influential texts for young Americans = Gen We - How Millenial Youth are Taking Over America and Changing the World Forever, by Eric Greenberg and Karl Weber.

This sounds a little hostile, but this take-over is a simple numbers game. The offspring of the baby-boom Generation, born from 1978-2000, this mass of approximately 90+ million young Americans, whom Greenberg describes as more globally connected, technologically saavy, and generally open-minded and progressive, are poised to represent an enormous voting bloc in the near future and soon come into positions of power in our nation.

Here is how Greenberg describes these 'Millenials':

"The Millennials are a special generation, potentially the greatest
generation ever. They are not pessimistic or vengeful. Rather, they
are sober in their view of the world. They believe in technology and
know they can innovate themselves out of the mess they are inheriting.
They believe in entrepreneurship and collective action, and that
each person can make a difference. They are about plenitude, and they
reject cruelty. They are spiritual, responsible, tolerant, and in many
ways more mature than their predecessor generations. They reject
punditry and bickering, because they are post-partisan, post-ideological,
and post-political.

Most important, they believe in the greater good and are ready to
dedicate themselves to achieving it."

The words are so forcibly compelling - it echoes what I have felt for some time. Although it can sometimes be bittersweet to find ideas swept up by thinkers before you- that you felt were your own but no longer are (happens a lot in writing)-- in the case of revolutionary change and ideas to better the Earth, and strengthening our nation and the Global community in order to do so, this is a godsend. I could not be more ecstatic. I found the site, starting reading the book, and became hyper emotional. It is reassuring, reaffirming the beliefs of anyone who is dedicating themselves to make positive change, and a testament to the fact that you are not alone, and the Millenias are poised (and will -- whether they want to or not, Greenberg adds) make fundamental changes to the world as we know it in the coming decades. Strength in numbers, 95 million strong.


And so I leave you with an excerpt, from Chapter 1, until I read further:

"Denial Is No Longer an Option

The problems of today will not go away if we just sweep them under the
rug and ignore them. They will only get worse. We cannot rely on those
bound by special interests or protecting their turf to enact great changes
and create a new order of justice and fairness. We need the unjaded
youth, with their energy, optimism, and sense of purpose, to lead the
world out of the mess it is in and toward the full potential of mankind."

And did I mention the text is available online for free. I implore you to read it, especially if you were born after 1978.

Tucson to Florence

Today I made the drive up from Tucson (accompanied by my brother Dan) to Florence, AZ, a small town with a population of about 17,000 halfway between Phoenix and Tucson off Highway 10. I had an 11:45 appointment at Allwest Energy, Inc., a solar and wind company that works out of both East and West Valley. They are expanding southward (hence the Florence office), and on their website they explicitly mentioned job openings for solar installers.





Luckily enough, after faxing over my resume and application, I received a call from Sally Evans at Allwest yesterday, while sitting through a lecture with Dan at the U of A in his 'Great Debates in Astronomy' course. And the appointment was set to meet with Dave Haycock, president of Allwest, a trained electrical engineer with a long history in PV installations. What is even more awesome (which I found out later through conversation) is that he lives completely off grid 28 miles from the Florence office, and 40 miles from the nearest supermarket.

My brother and I arrived early in Florence, but that's the norm in job interviews -- always happens when you give yourself ample time to ensure an early arrival. I walked into the office at 11:30 am, and met Dave, who had some business to still attend to (noting that he did not spend a lot of time in the office). After he dealt with a few things he was very friendly and talkative, and soon enough we were heading to a job site nearby, which was an awesome opportunity. Dave implied that he wanted me to see first hand the physicality entailed with this work, and sure enough we were on-site at a residential install in a matter of minutes. I got to head up on the roof and check out the array, and also met Mike, a team leader who had a long work history as a framer and now worked at Allwest.

After checking out the job site Dave, Mike and I went out for lunch. They mostly talked business but I was able to sneak a few words into the conversation, and it was a great time. One of the most interesting facts that I learned were about "green-switches," which Dave said he was going to try and bundle with solar installs. They are essentially programmable switches in the household that turn of phantom-loads from all appliances that are power-ready and drain energy in standby mode (i.e. cable box, coffee maker). These programmable switches can be flipped when you go to sleep or leave your residence to save energy and $. Good stuff.

We all was said and done Dave basically made me an offer based on my experience with FDC, the lighting wholesaler, and my PV Installation course at SUNY Ulster. The only drawback, as he noted, was geography. I had been planning to relocate to Tucson but may have to move further North seeing as Allwest is not that far south yet. But, regardless, I have a great window of opportunity, which I will most certainly mull over. Full-time work installing solar panels in the desert sun in Arizona. Life is good :-).

Green Machine - Coming 2010

Announcing Green Machine LLC, an eco-conscious apparel company coming in 2010:



My brother and I will be designing and printing t-shirts (organic and recycled material) to promote renewable and clean energy initiatives along with sustainable business practices. We are in the process of commissioning designs from graphic artists all over the globe (thanks to freelance.com) and creating a website to run our e-commerce operation. Hopefully if this takes off we will have a physical, brick-and-mortar presence in the form of mall kiosks and maybe even a store. Worst case scenario we have a few hundred Green Machine shirts for ourselves and our friends to rock. Our mission is to promote clean and renewable energy and sustainable business practices through our t-shirt line and other products to be announced at a later date. Look for us in 2010.


The site, the clothing designs and the business plan are all well underway and we will be launching in early 2010. So get excited.

Obama Outlines 'Smart Grid' Stimulus Spending

Sure enough, as was to be anticipated, Obama spoke in Arcadia, FL this past Tuesday outlining his plan for 'smart grid' spending as a dimension of the stimulus package, detailing how these funds will be spent and tying this into the greater goal of clean-energy advancements in the US. As Business Week writes, "The $3.4 billion injected Oct. 27 is a small down payment on the cost of equipping the U.S. electrical system with smart meters, batteries, and sensors."


GE - Plug Into the Smart Grid

Clean energy technologies, such as direct generation (DG)-- local or residential solar arrays (grid-tied), wind turbines, etc. and other clean and renewable technologies-- can be a burden to the system. The smart grid is a somewhat daunting and eerily futuristic sounding term that simply means upgrading and perfecting the efficiency by which we transport electricity throughout our network, and by reworking this network we can better handle clean energy developments as they unfold.

As the LA Times writes, "A smarter grid, for example, might help hook wind farms in North Dakota with power consumers in Chicago and synchronize those consumers' energy use to match the times when the wind blows strongest."


Obama was on point with clean energy initiatives as a whole, and very optimistic about our country's future:




“The world is now engaged in a peaceful competition to determine the technologies that will power the 21st century. From China to India, from Japan to Germany, nations everywhere are racing to develop new ways to producing and use energy. The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy. I am convinced of that. And I want America to be that nation. It’s that simple.” (WSJ)

The spending he announced will work toward not only the smart grid, but clean energy research at colleges and research facilities throughout the country and will ultimately create the green jobs of the future, as the White House Suggests:

“There are those who will suggest that moving toward clean energy will destroy our economy--" Obama suggested of his opponents in his now standard allusive fashion, "when it’s the system we currently have that endangers our prosperity and prevents us from creating millions of new jobs.” (WSJ)


http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2009/tc20091027_594339.htm
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-energy27-2009oct27,0,6261729.story?track=rss
http://www.winknews.com/news/local/66736462.html
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/10/23/obama-lots-of-clean-energy-talk-little-on-climate/