Conference Bites

Economist: The Ideas Economy Mar 23-24 Berkeley

"The leaders in China are engineers. The leaders in the US are lawyers. Draw your own conclusions."
~ Paul Saffo, Visiting Scholar of Stanford University Media X Research Network

"The social rate of return on innovation is greater than the private rate of return on innovation."
~ Christina Romer, Chair White House Council of Economic Advisors

"I'm a fan of people talking to each other regardless of how crazy they are"
~ John Perry Barlow, Founder of Electronic Frontier Foundation

"Three key themes on innovation are need, greed, and speed."
~ Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Correspondent for The Economist

"One of America's great assets as a culture of innovation is our tolerance for failure."
~ John Kao, Author of 'Innovation Nation'

"Innovation is serendipity applied to scale."
~ Tyler Cowen, Professor at George Mason University

"Ideas are cheap, ideas are easy... it's all of the hard work and commitment that happens after the idea that is rare."
~ Scott Berkun, Author of 'Myths of Innovation'


For more information on The Ideas Economy:

Value Based-Sustainability Conference Keynote Jan 26 San Jose

Quotes from Adam Werbach, CEO of Saatchi S, Keynote Address:

"The next 10 years are going to be more traumatic than the last 10 years." (Showing centerfold of Senator Brown)

"How to meet the financial crisis: We need to become like a forest... fire is a time when we thrive."

"Fiji water as $6 water sold in luxury hotels after being shipped around the world is 'dead man walking' "

"Consumers will look for and support companies that share bad news as well as good. PR may get turned on its ear."

"We need a broader version of green—we need blue… not an organic Oreo, but help mom get her kids to eat carrots."

"Look at context (for green)—COP15 didn't succeed, politics has failed. Investment is about to be taken off the table by Obama. Its an awesome responsibility for the corporate sector—to do what Copenhagen and US politics hasn’t. We need to generously work together to share ideas/solutions—we are in the right place (corporate sector) right now."

For more information on Value-Based Sustainability:

From COP 15 in Copenhagen DEC 10-11

"President Obama is calling for an 83 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. You’re not going to meet those targets with a wind or solar farm here and there. What’s required is nothing less than completely rethinking the way we produce and consume energy."
~ Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce

"The cost of fuel has risen, while the cost of… emissions is ferociously high. If we don’t curb the carbon, we imperil the planet. In the next few decades, we need to rebuild and reinvent virtually every industrial activity; from power generation and transportation to manufacturing and construction, to run efficiently and economically in a carbon constrained world."
~ Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce

"So when we talk about the potential of job creation arising from clean energy investments, we’re not just talking about someone working for a solar or wind company. We’re talking about creating an entirely new model of economic growth…. The potential new business and new job creation is astounding."
~ Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce

"We absolutely recognize our historic role in putting emissions in the atmosphere...(but) the sense of guilt or culpability or reparations—I just categorically reject that."
~ Todd Stern, the Obama administration’s chief climate negotiator

"If we leave Copenhagen without a legally binding outcome and without very strong commitment on finance, how can we go in front of our children and tell them, ‘We couldn’t reach [an agreement].’ We stand with AOSIS. That’s why we need the support of you, the youth, because you are the ones who are going to suffer if we don’t have a good result.  And sometimes your governments will hear you when they do not hear us."
~ Antonio Lima of Cape Verde, the vice president of AOSIS, (Alliance of Small Island Nations), speaking to young activists

"The fate of my country rests in your hands."
~ Ian Fry, Tuvalu Delegation

For more info on COP15:

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:

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:

GridWeek '09 Stakeholder Panel, September 21-24

"We can’t have smart meters with dumb rates."
~ Colette Honorable, Arkansas Public Service Commission

"There is no brownout that is not a pricing problem."
~ Toby Considine, New Daedalus

"We are the forgotten stepchild—buildings tend to not vote."
~ Michael Munson, Metropolitan Energy of Chicago

"Communicating to customers is step1, 2, 3 to 100. If you look at the internet in terms of what is does for telecom providers, you miss the value. Like a computer, the intelligence comes from how you use it. Smart grid is much more than providing AMI meters, it is using info in a way that is efficient.
~ Val Jensen, Commonwealth Edison

"We are not just trying to get approval for an investment, we are trying to change the nature of the business."
~ Val Jensen, Commonwealth Edison

"Why do we think we will be the best ones to communicate about this—especially when it comes to communicating about using less of our product>
~ Michael Munson, Metropolitan Energy of Chicago

"It is up to us to show we can maximize value, for all consumers."
~ Val Jensen, Commonwealth Edison

"(The Smart Grid will deploy) at the speed of regulation"
~ Mike Oldak, EEI

For more info on the GridWeek '09:

More from Next Agenda, September 17th

"Climate Change—this is going to define our lives."
~ Peter Leyden, Founder & CEO, Next Agenda

"We have got to move the needle—(to do that) is going to take a new media."
~ Peter Leyden, Founder & CEO, Next Agenda

"What we want to do is to think, and to evolve our thinking… to ask the questions that matter the most."
~ Kristen Cobble, Next Agenda

"I have been a sufferer of 'Climate Trauma'." (Describing the effects of really thinking through the apocalyptic effects of Climate Change)
~ Gillian Caldwell, Campaign Director, 1Sky

"We are a fight or flight species. This is a very different type of threat. We are not evolved for this."
~ Gillian Caldwell, Campaign Director, 1Sky

"I have seen the future, and it is Shanghai. You can’t see more than a few blocks due to the pollutions… but people and the government get it, and are making changes in the right direction. They are training the regions mayors on the one hand, and distributing ten million CFLs via schoolkids on the other."
~ Leslie Katz, Pacific Carbon Exchange

"The long pole in the tent is capital. To attract it, you have to offer return."
~ Bill Green, Vantage Point Partners

For more info on Next Agenda:

Green Software UnConference, August 19

"Green software is about “Substituting intelligence for resources."
~ Mary Vincent, co-creator, introducing the Green Software UnConference

"Fortune 500 are spending 25 Billion on sustainability, growing 70% a year."
~ Dave Jarrat, VP marketing, CSRWare

"The key driver of green initiatives is cost savings."
~ Dave Jarrat, VP marketing, CSRWare

"In looking at the Smart Grid in all its complexity, there is likely to be a portfolio of 'killer apps' rather than just one."
~ Anonymous participant in Smart Grid Panel

"I predict we are going to see a movement to 'buy local' for power, just as we now do for food."
~ Ann Ruckstuhl, CMO, Optony

"The reason games are addictive….is that people have been working on them for 15 year….to make them addictive."
~ Ken Ecklund, Director of Game Design, Green21, in session addressing how to harness the strength of games in service to sustainability


For more info on the Green Software UnConference:

National Clean Energy Summit: Jobs and the New Economy, August 10

"Energy is a $6 trillion industry; the 'mother of all markets'."
~ Maria Cantwell, Senator (D-WA)

"We're asking questions that liberals like, but giving answers that conservatives like."
~ Van Jones, Obama’s Green Jobs Czar as tweeted by British Consulate LA and re-tweeted by Simone Veldema 

"In order to address the climate crisis, we're going to have to address the democracy crisis in this country."
~ Al Gore as tweeted by Osha Gray Davidson

"The one way to guarantee greater energy bills is to do nothing."
~ Al Gore as tweeted by Populista and re-tweeted by Mark Brooks

"The least sexy topic is where most of the savings can be found: Efficiency."
~ Bill Clinton as tweeted by Nathan Schock

"China understands no more biz as usual. They plan on being the leader. But we can be, unless we miss the opportunity." 
~ Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy as tweeted by Osha Gray Davidson

"You've got to get the banks involved in this if you want to stop piddling around."
~ Bill Clinton as tweeted by Osha Gray Davidson

"We have an obligation to steer by the stars and not by the lights of each passing ship."
~ Al Gore quoting Omar Bradley in closing discussion at Conference as tweeted by Osha Gray Davidson

For more info on the National Clean Energy Summit:

Fortune Brainstorm Tech, Day 2-3 July 23-24

"Twitter isn't about the triumph of technology. It's about the triumph of humanity."
~ Biz Stone, Co-founder of Twitter, as tweeted by Gary Bolles

"The only good thing about 2009 is that we will get to compare 2010 to it."
~ Mark Hurd, HP CEO, as tweeted by Steve Herrod and retweeted by John Gannon

Nice, relevant Eskimo proverb highlighted at BrainstormTech Panel - "The storm is the time to fish."
~ As tweeted by Steve Herrod

"I don't really believe in synergies."
~ Barry Diller, IAC Chief, as tweeted by Ina Fried

"We don't live by blog alone... people still want deep reading experiences."
~ Josh Quittner, editor at large, TIME Magazine

"Everyone must 'brand' themselves. Everyone is becoming a business, and needs to establish that."
~ Reid Hoffman, Executive Chairman of LinkedIn

"We don't want to be the child actor that got success and grew up all freaky. We want to be Ron Howard."
~ Biz Stone, Co-founder of Twitter

For more info on Fortune Brainstorm Tech: