On the recent use of the term “Green”

Lately, the term “GREEN” is getting a workout. The media hype has gotten hold of it. The politicians, from the left wing to the right wing, all use it as a political point. Corporations are being advised by their advertising agencies to use GREEN as a hot button word to sell more. Its a shame how the term “GREEN” is getting diluted by the over-use and mis-use.

But seriously, what does GREEN really mean? Green implies a society and technology that does no harm to the environment. In other words, a technology that is 100% compatible with the natural environment.

Our society should and must change that way. It is not a political game, and I wish it wasn’t so hyped and used by the public media. This is a great business opportunity.

It is ironic that so much angst is coming from the Bush administration on environmental policy. For the next 50 years, stupid uses of the term ‘green’ notwithstanding, changes will be happening to create new jobs and make money on. (and it will not wreck our economy, as President Bush has said since 2000).

In history, in the future, this period may be remembered as a second-stage industrial age rather than a post-industrial. We are only now transitioning out of a technology that requires coal, oil and gas for most of its energy.

The invisible hand of economics itself, in the form of higher prices and decreasing supplies, is pushing us to energy and material alternatives. Recent rapid advances in living standards, in Asia particularly, are making this a new industrial age, as well.

The talk about green, pollution and global warming and greenhouse gases is useful. The bottom line is this: 100% sustainable systems are GREEN. As far as physics goes, it is the sum of all society systems for extracting and utilizing energy and materials. And when that system is in balance with the natural world, and doing no harm to it, it is by definition, green.

An example of green in renewable power for human consumption. It is harmless to the environment — my favorite energy input method is solar photovoltaic, electricity by and to the user with the excess sold to others on the grid. (Disclosure: I own shares of the large solar panel and sheet maker, Suntech Power Ltd.) Solar is extremely green, in my opinion.