Doug Henton / Jan 06 2011
WITH BECKY MORGAN AND JOHN MELVILLE
For Release Sunday, January 9, 2011
Citiwire.net
Faced with 12 percent unemployment and a $26 billion budget deficit, California offers a perfect storm of economic disruption and public paralysis. This is the product of not only the national financial meltdown, but also a self-imposed governance crisis caused by years of ballot box initiatives as well as budget overruns.
However, below the chaotic surface, the grassroots has been active in responding to this dual economic and governance crisis. The seeds were actually planted in the 1990s during an earlier economic downturn. In regions as diverse as Silicon Valley and the Sierra Nevada, new collaborations of business, government and community leaders were launched to address complex challenges spanning multiple political jurisdictions. Joint Venture Silicon Valley and the Sierra Business Council became models for other regions. Read More »
Doug Henton / Nov 06 2009
For Release Friday, November 6, 2009
Citiwire.net
What if everyone wanted to do the right thing but didn’t know how to work together to achieve a shared outcome?
That pretty much sums up the challenge we face in realizing the potential of a green economy. The Obama Administration has made it a high priority. Most states and localities recognize the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Many businesses now understand the savings from greater efficiency and profits that can be gained from investing in the renewal energy. Labor sees this as a source of jobs.
So what is holding back the growth of a green economy? As we debate national cap and trade legislation, our fragmented, stove piped intergovernmental system is slowing down the implementation of over $40 billion in energy funding. Few states and regions have developed comprehensive energy strategies. Read More »
Doug Henton / Sep 04 2008
For Release Sunday, September 7, 2008
Citiwire.net
What do Portland, Ore., and California’s Silicon Valley have in common?
Both are leaders in the critical transition to the new paradigm described in Curt Johnson’s recent Citiwire.net article — a high efficiency and environmentally low impact model, reversing Americans’ profligate, high-impact, low-efficiency culture of the past half century.
And it works, economically. Since the 1970s, Portland has prospered, transforming its economy from forest products to high-value technology, simultaneously increasing incomes and boosting property values. It’s also been able to contain suburban spillover through an urban growth boundary. Portland has built a light rail system, increased urban densities, and rolled back its greenhouse gas emissions. Read More »
