Conference Bites

Biz Tech Day SFO October 23rd

"Communities more often go wrong than right… a few toxic voices can poison it… the key is moderation."
~ Matt Mullenweg, Founding Developer of WordPress

"Pave the Cowpaths—see where people are already 'walking' and support that."
~ Matt Mullenweg, Founding Developer of WordPress

On partnering with bigger companies: "Companies have entire departments, usually called corp development, that are totally dedicated to wasting your time—if you get a whiff of that, walk away."
~ Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote

"Nobody has any idea what people will pay for."
~ Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote, on their (and everyone's) "freemium" business models

"Be a pain killer, not a vitamin."
~ Matt Mullenweg, Founding Developer of WordPress, on what it takes to get money for your services online

"Choosing what not to do is often the hardest thing."
~ Panelist

For more information on Biz Tech Day:

West Coast Green, Day Two & Three

"Almost all building products are state of the art... for the 19th century."
~ Kevin Surace, CEO, Serious Materials

"If you want to build national awareness, spend a billion dollars in one year, or else you’ve got to get a movement going."
~ Kevin Surace, Serious Materials

"When we start labeling everything with a carbon footprint, the public will decide. Market forces are great that way... the public will drive it."
~ Kevin Surace, Serious Materials

"The US peaked at making 45% of the world’s good (after WW2), now we are at 18%... China will pass us in the next few years. I refuse to manufacture US goods in China. Period."
~ Kevin Surace, Serious Materials

"I absolutely believe in globalization. The rest of the world deserves to grow and prosper in their lifestyles. I pray they don’t do it the way we have. We have to give them the technology to leapfrog us."
~ Bonnie Nixon, Director of Environmental Sustainability, HP

"I am equally keen to invest in workers in Chuangdon as in California."
~ Dan Kammen, UC Berkeley

For more information on West Coast Green:

RMI - Natural Capitalism Panel Responses on "What gives you hope?", October 3

A hopeful sign: "The book Natural Capitalism is doing better now than it was ten years ago. The literacy is incredible now in terms of sustainability."
~ Paul Hawken, Author

"Our society has moved beyond a fearful funk. Our psychology has shifted."
~ Amory Lovins, RMI

"The story of stuff is changing to distribution, invention and manufacturing. The means to invent & DIY innovation are in everyone’s hands."
~ Janine Benyus, Author

What gives you hope: "The right getting on board with 'Creation Care' represents a pivotal shift—the rest just has to play out."
~ Amory Lovins, RMI

What give you hope: "It is suddenly incredibly cool to be inventing in the CleanTech space."
~ Janine Benyus, Author

On optimism vs. pessimism, "Every time you argue with reality, you lose. This is where we are. We shouldn’t bemoan it."
~ Paul Hawken, Author

"I couldn’t write it better. By the end of act 2—you are fucked. So you come back after intermission. That is where we are."
~ Paul Hawken, Author

What gives you hope: "We shouldn’t doubt our kids for a second."
~ Paul Hawken, Author

For more information on RMI:

RMI - Natural Capitalism Panel , October 3

Amory Lovins' intro now includes his confession that he walks the earth with "Full Frontal Nerdity".

"With this audience, I feel like we can just cut loose"
~ Paul Hawken, Author

Four principles of Natural Capitalism: "Use less; Change the materials; Sell services; Create capital mechanisms to heal the future."
~ Paul Hawken, Author

"I visited six cities recently that want to become a bio-mimicry hub, for commercialization."
~ Janine Benyus, Author

"We want to give people the tools to understand their design choices… it is all about digital prototypes."
~ Carl Bass, CEO, Autodesk

"This panel isn’t setting the demand curve for the future—it’s the people out there doing the product & building design."
~ Carl Bass, CEO, Autodesk

"The CleanTech industry greatly under uses information technology."
~ Carl Bass, CEO, Autodesk

"Natural Capitalism was introduced as one of Bill Clinton's top 5 books, also Ashton Kutcher's favorite eco title." (to great laughter)--Michael Potts, RMI

"Walmart knew more about water and waterless toilets than any NGO, because for them, its money".
~ Paul Hawken, Author

"While some ask if this a fad, we are now at the 'don’t back up, severe tire damage' stage, and people realize it."
~ Carl Bass, CEO, Autodesk

"We need to find better ways to scale than one business and one sector at a time."
~ Amory Lovins, RMI

"Has anyone here ever known an ex-environmentalist? Once you have this awareness, you don't go back."
~ Ray Anderson, Interface

"Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary use words."
~ Amory Lovins, RMI

For more information on RMI:

Rocky Mountain Institute - Reinventing Fire Panel, October 2, Part 1

Joel Makower framed the discussion expressing concern aout our global situation and sharing the 5 key words he is using more and more "what would it take to…."

 "He is not afraid of breaking glass... he runs towards it."
~ Amory Lovins, RMI, talking about DOE Secretary Stephen Chu

"[We want to make] building tuneups as common as car tuneups."
~ Cathy Zoi, DOE

"This is not a tech problem, its a deployment problem."
~ Cathy Zoi, DOE

"I'm from the private sector, and I'm here to help."
~ Aimee Christensen of www.Global-observatory.org

"Systems without feedback are stupid by definition."
~ Amory Lovins, RMI

For more information on RMI:

West Coast Green, Day One

Kicking off West Coast Green, "Change is a cliché, but it is what we are all about."
~ Don Simon, Attorney, Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean

"Business as a place to grow great humans... that’s our commitment."
~ Christi Graham, President & CEO, West Coast Green

"We are strongly committed to fighting the fight on climate change." 
~ Peter Darbee, CEO, PG&E

"We can’t achieve our goals without engaging our customers and communities."
~ Peter Darbee, CEO, PG&E

"This is the anti-vegas... what happens here needs to not stay here."
~ Dan Kammen, Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor of Energy, Energy and Resource Group, UC Berkely, speaking about the need for California to influence the world

"The US pays a TARP bailout worth of money every year for imported Carbon Energy."
~ Dan Kammen, Energy Prof at UC Berkely

"Achieving our energy and climate goals demands a smart grid and systems thinking..."
~ Dan Kammen, Energy Prof at UC Berkely

"The scientists who know the most about these areas are the ones that are most worried." (because they also see the unpublished data)
~ Dan Kammen, Energy Prof at UC Berkely

"China doesn't plan to make internal combustion engines much longer... they see their future as electrified."
~ Dan Kammen, Energy Prof at UC Berkely

"Lack of (mechanisms to pay for solar like Feed-in Tariffs) is not anti-environment, its anti-business. Sheer lunacy!"
~ Dan Kammen, Energy Prof at UC Berkely

For more information on West Coast Green:

GridWeek '09 Session on Marketing of the Smart Grid September 23

"Smart grid has just as much opportunity behind it as internet and PC areas."
~ Russ Landon, Canaccord Adams

"We will look back in 10 years and see that it (the Smart Grid)  is something more (than we see today)."
~ Vicki Trees, Landis+Gyr

"The consumer is the starting point. GE is  approaching it in terms of consumer education, enlightenment and engagement. GE’s 1st super bowl ad was about the smart grid…this is about igniting a conversation… the ad sited five of our utility partners."
~ Linda Boff, GE

"We surveyed 1000 U.S. and 1000 U.K. consumers... were surprised and pleased to find 73% of U.S. and U.K. users would like to know more. 3 in 5 say they will change their behavior with adoption. Top benefits they know are lowering bills and being energy efficient."
~ Linda Boff, GE

"The technology in mechanical meters is older than a rotary phone."
~ Chris Schien, Oncor

"We are gong to create the demand for dynamic pricing. Create the awareness, the ...demand. How do you enable this conversation that is just getting started?"
~ Linda Boff, GE

"The killer app is the plug in vehicle... when the consumer plugs it in at night it becomes a wind energy storage device, and I don’t think that is far off."
~ Chris Schien, Oncor

"We were recently out polling voters 18+ in the U.S and a trend of 'the mindful consumer' emerged in the wake of the financial crisis... there is a real consciousness (around being) in control. It is related to saving money and also to personal sustainability... how much energy you use."
~ Linda Boff, GE

"This industry will ultimately create value, not having cost value, and will have enabled a whole new set of capabilities… be patient."
~ Russ Landon, Canaccord Adams

For more info on the GridWeek '09: