Posted by Nick
San Francisco’s long had a green vibe to it. Curbside recycling rates in the San Franciscan metropolitan area rank among the highest in the nation, and with ecopreneurs like Recycle Bank entering the mix, these rates are quickly being matched nationwide. California will likely continue to be fertile ground for new ideas that power the green economy. Across every industry in California (indeed, the globe), a green revolution is underway. Local government initiatives such as the cities of San Francisco’s and Palo Alto’s are awakening the collective unconscious of urban preservation. Venture Capital firm’s such as Vinod Khosla’s and Al Gore’s & Dave Blood’s Generation Management are creating green jobs through double bottom line investments. The Federal government, for its part, continues–albeit slowly–to increase incentives for renewable energy standards and programs. Looking forward, it is imperative that federal investment continue into these innovative enterprises through mechanisms such as the Federal Income Tax Credit for solar installations. Coupled with the grassroots initiatives such as the one spearheaded by Van Jones at the Ella Baker Center, and the larger, global, consumer tide turning communities green, California remains poised to benefit and prosper from the coming Green Renaissance.
It’s fertile ground out West. As a native, I hope you’ll join us, if only in spirit. And should you go so far as to come to California, please, do, wear flowers in your hair.