finally arrived in Tianjin after a very long journey. seemed alot longer than necessary. the Beijing Airport is pretty overwhelming. vast spaces. soaringly vast spaces. they look good from afar, sort of. but don't look to closely at the details. or where the slats of the hung ceiling meet the edges.

a small welcome desk was found after a few queries. a twenty minute wait was long enough for the requisite accumulation of fellow travellers. we boarded the bus expecting to head to Tianjin. a 30 minute detour to the other terminal just to make sure that no one else really was going to join our small gaggle. a long six lane highway with almost no occupants took us to the destination city. for some strange reason, half of us were asked to get off at the first hotel to wait for a second smaller minibus to take us the last 10 minutes.

my hotel [Warner Residence] is in the sepcial economic zone. a soulless place that is full of mud and pile drivers. and honking vehicles all night long. evidently, this hotel was finished just days prior to our arrival. the outgassing of the materials in my room makes my eyes hurt. i opened the doors to the balcony last night thinking that this would help air out the fumes. that did not work as the air outside smelled like i had shoved my head intp a paint hood from a car factory. room is large. shower light does not turn off. glass door to the sleeping space. oh well. i asked to move rooms so that i was not next to the elevator and the cleaning staff's ready room. you would have thought i asked for the queen's jewels. or perhap's the chariman's hat. although the lady had a pile of keys and rooms in front of her. it was impossible to move me.
'lots of people to check in tomorrow' she said. 'we are full'.
'but these people are not yet here'
'they come tomorrow'
yes, so can you please change rooms with oe of them now?
'no, we are full'

i could see at this point that this was going to become one of those terrible circular conversations that was only good for those with low blood pressure, so i smiled and said 'thank you'

in the end, ear plugs and eye shades work just fine. i have yet to figure out what to do about my eyes and the outgassing. it is so terrible that i would consider leaving early.

oh, and the bar will be built next week. and the restaurant is not yet ready, nor the lounge......... but there is a heiniken in the mini-bar and seriously intermittent internet access that is screened.

a new blog - The Energy Roadmap (http://theenergyroadmap.com/)

just launched. we will have to see if it is really worth checking out. time will tell.

What does the world of 2019 look like?

Find out now.

The full report from the Global Extinction Awareness System is LIVE. Find out exactly why the human species may face extinction by the year 2042 and what we can do about it.

You can also watch the first five Superthreat videos! See with your own eyes the challenges we face in 2019 and hear from people across the globe who are already facing down the Superthreats.

READ THE GEAS REPORT: http://www.iftf.org/node/2317
WATCH THE SUPERTHREAT VIDEOS: www.superstructgame.org

And the Superstruct Story is just beginning. Two weeks from today, we will flip the game switch on. Then it is YOUR turn to tell the story of 2019 and to help invent the future.

So watch the videos now,check out the report, and get ready to start superstructing!

Superstruct Creators
www.superstructgame.org

Kasian architects are hosting the meeting [www.kasian.com] in their office that is located on the water in downtown. great place. they did the fabulous airport expansion which i came thru yesterday. it is full of light and is really easy to move thru.

the USA is the world's largest island. but it also has had a great can do attitude. can this continue???

THE MORE GLOBAL WE BECOME, THE MORE REGIONAL WE MUST BECOME. ....... you cant make the model global. it is important to remember that every place is different. every context is different. we cannot export the solution model to other places around the world.

here is a website with a real store house of knowledge. worth reviewing if you are interested in anything to do with Solar Design. Ralph L. Knowles, Professor Emeritus at the School of Architecture of the University of Southern California, is well known in the States as one of the leading thinkers in this area.

http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~rknowles/

The Design Futures Council Board.
discussion around the current economic situation. Bullish or bearish for the near term market?
There seems to be a belief in the room that the market will remain strong for exporting work, and there is a focus on emerging markets. The discuss turned to repositioning of prices. There was a feeling of a readjustment to a more sane cost/price structure. There will be a wave of new ways of procuring infrastructure [ie PPP]. The big issue is how we can work better and smarter. A period of correction where many of the really bad ideas and bad projects will move to the wayside.

What we will be doing differently one year from now?
HGA [Steve] largest market is healthcare. They have integrated industrial engineering into their offer. They are also really looking at ‘lean design’ which has really caught on in the healthcare industry. They have also brought in more process orientated individuals into the practice. They feel that it has given them an edge and has really enhanced their success factors. Next step is to find ways to measure the outcomes with their clients. They see that thy will continue to push upstream and focus even more on integrated delivery. Sutter Health is leading on this in California. Thre is also a feeling that the sustainability issue

Cannon Design [Kent] is looking at their four business areas and working on integrating more. They are also engaging in primary research.

Design Workshop [doug] we feel that we will be spending more time up front and more time at the back end. This is due to increased pressure from the public which is driving more now. This is more in planning than in execution of the projects. The clients are being pressured by the public for this now. The public is demanding to ‘be heard’ so the up-front design services are more necessary. The challenge is to come up with good metrics for all parties involved.

Smart Grids: Rapidly Evolving Opportunities
America's leading utilities are evolving to meet the demands raised by increasing distributed generation, intermittent renewable power, and reduced base load capacity. This panel will discuss their experiences with modernization of electricity distribution systems and the challenges they face to provide robust, secure, efficient, profitable and intelligent systems. Panelists will discuss current projects at two of the country's leading utilities, new technologies entering the marketplace to facilitate these demands, and legal challenges raised by these new technologies.

Speakers:
David Mohler, Vice President and CTO, Duke Energy. Steven Pullins, President and CEO, Horizon Energy Group, Tim Healy, CEO, EnerNOC, Inc., Suedeen G. Kelly, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Moderator:
Todd McClelland, Partner, Alston & Bird, Energy Infrastructure, Climate and Technology Group

There are a number of companies who are doing this in the US. not just Duke Energy. Duke talked about their project in Cincinnati in which a series of intelligent meters have been installed.

Cities as Catalysts of Cleantech Innovation: Leaders from Stockholm and Los Angles

With more than half the human population living in urban areas, cities have a critical role to play in creating and accelerating cleantech solutions for global environmental and resource challenges. Urbanization is projected to increase from three billion in 2000 to five billion in 2030. Cities will be serving as powerful market forces, driving procurement and leading implementation of complex infrastructure solutions across the full spectrum of the cleantech investment category.

Speakers: were a representative of Sten Nordin, Mayor of Stockholm, Sweden, Cecilia V. Estolano, CEO of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles and Thomas Davidsson, CEO, Scandinavian Biogas Fuels AB

Moderator: Steve Crolius, Senior Director, Clinton Climate Initiative

interesting session. the city of stockholm recognizes the role of the city. the LA representative also gave a really good summary of the ways that they are trying to make a difference. both impressive. Stockholm more so as it was less of a smokescreen.

Breakthroughs from Science Session. A far ranging review of scientific breakthroughs which may provide disruptive market opportunities while addressing resource constraints, climate change, water scarcity and mitigation and adaptation opportunities over the 2nd and 3rd decades of the 21st Century.

Keynote:
Dr. Tony Haymet, Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences and Dean of the UC San Diego Graduate School of Marine Sciences

HE showed the graph which Charles David Keeling, Climate Science Pioneer, made at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. David also monitored the increasing Ocean acidity near Hawaii. he noted that it is rising. the increase is about 30%. this COULD become the ultimate limiting factor for our survival as the global ocean can no longer support the same food production. he also shoed a global mean sea level graph. it is also rising at about 3.5 mm/year. this is quite a bit, of which some is from simple thermal expansion. so the question of HOW LONG DO WE HAVE as presented.

things that he is doing.....thinking about verifying california bill AB-32. he believes that it will not be long until we can measure CO2 at a regional level. California has decoupled GDP growth from energy.

he noted a project CSS PILOT PLANT SCHWARZE PUMPE as a project to follow. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7584155.stm]

the following are ideas from him as things to watch.:
1. Cement from CO2. Scientific American August 7, 2008. this is a Calera process which essentially mimics marine cement.
2. a plastic that supposedly sucks CO2 out of he air. from USA today 21 Feb 2008. nothing noted abot how much energy it takes to make the plastic.
3. Trees. he showed a great picture of a redwood tree

National Security and the Treat of Climate Change. this is a report to read. [http://securityandclimate.cna.org/mab/]

Breakthroughs from Science Session. A far ranging review of scientific breakthroughs which may provide disruptive market opportunities while addressing resource constraints, climate change, water scarcity and mitigation and adaptation opportunities over the 2nd and 3rd decades of the 21st Century. here is a person whose faculty are doing amazing things. will have to go check them out.

Keynote:
Dr. Tony Haymet, Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences and Dean of the UC San Diego Graduate School of Marine Sciences

Future Casting Session. Two viewpoints, two experts, two visions for investors, entrepreneurs and policy-makers on the future of water and innovation.

Chris Luebkeman, Director for Global Foresight & Innovation, Arup

Dr. Peter P. Rogers, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Engineering and Professor of City and Regional Planning, Harvard University

he was the author of 'Facing the Freshwater Crisis', Scientific American, August 2008. Pp 28-35

Six point plan to sole the crisis:
Conserve irrigation water; technological changes
Invest in water infrastructure; maintenance issues
Adopt eco-sanitation; cut water demand
Ship virtual water; rationalize the world food trade
Exploit advanced desalination technology

The big problem with politics is who gets what, when and how. Goal of interest groups is to socialize the costs and privatize the benefit. So we need to fundamentally improve the governance around water. Water Court of Valencia [Tribunal de las Aguas] is the oldest democratic institution in Europe that has survived a millennium.

There are two types of water. Green and blue. Green is that which goes into soil is moisture from rain. Blue is in rivers, wetlands, lakes and groundwater. 56% of water is used by bio-energy production and forests.

We have to remember to talk about the TOTAL use of water. A GREAT chart re water use in China. IIASA 2000. The hockey stick graph with the increase of water use is commensurate with rise in food habit changes.

THIS ISA REALLY GOOD REPORT: Comprehensive assessment of waste management in agriculture [http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Assessment/]

The bulk of the required infrastructure investment to 2050 is in water. There is an interesting Booz Allen report to make sure we have.

The Cleantech Forecast: Data, Patterns, Trends & Predictions
The Cleantech Group, founders of the cleantech investment category, unveil impactful and market moving data, analysis and predictions.

Speaker:
Nicholas Parker, Chairman, along with Brian Fan, Director of Research, Cleantech Group, LLC

Toxic Acids in a Toxic World
‘I’m mad’ we have a planet that is in ecological overshoot and a market that will probably loose over a $trillion. So, where are we? And how is this driving innovation? How have things changed? What has to be done? Where is the opportunity?

He went on to describe the various factors of our context today. A review of the challenges which we are now facing.

Cleantech encompasses knowledge-based technology products and services. There has been a 10000% increase since 2001 in VC investment in cleantech. 70% of global cleantech VC investing in in the US.

Nearly 50% of VC investing in this year was in solar and biofuels. Most of it was in thin films. Nanosolar got $350M, OptiSolar got $210M. Solar Thermal is also now getting attention as well as the solar Services sector. Target in the EU is to get 15% production.

There is a new breakout in Algae Biodiesel. $184M raised in 2008 so far. There is a real step change in the type and quality of investment.

Now focused on innovation financing, new financing mechanisms, engaging policy makers, now its about making markets.

Acceleratig Adoption – its about DEMAND.

Michael L. Goguen, General Partner, Sequoia Capital [http://www.sequoiacap.com/]
[720 companies founded]
The next wave is CleanTech; but we have seen waves before. We have o remember that a wave has both an up and a down. Cycles of greed to fear to greed to fear… 20% of the companies which we underwrite are successful, 80% fail. He sees the waves so far as: Microprocessors/ computers/ hard drivers/ biotech/ internet/ cleantech

Elements of a sustainable company:
Clarity of purpose
Spectacular market
Alleviate customer pain
Team DNA
Incredible product focus
Real operating margins
Frugality
Inferno with a single match. Rock has to roll after a small push.

The likely winners will stand out from the pack:
They will use dramatically less capital
Use less people
Get to market faster
Be more profitable.
The best technology doesn’t always win.

articulate and passionate speaker.
http://cleantechnetwork.com/index.cfm?pageSRC=CleantechDefined

This place was tired. I was going to be there for five days so i really was looking forward to a nice room in the centre of downtown. the first room 700 something was across from the elevator. i went in to check it out anyway so i could see it. then went down and asked for another room saying i would happily pay for an upgrade if i needed to. So, i was promptly sold a new class of room on the 12th floor. two doors down from the elevator. went in. all the same furniture as the 'normal' room. the only advantage of the extra $70/per night were fancy soaps and 'free internet'. AND, black mildewed caulking in the shower/bath. i did not last long in the room. went back down for another try. this time, they called over the customer service manager who apologized, offered to buy me a drink at the bar later and gave me a new room next to the old one. and took off the extra charge. the entire place really needs a refit. there must be much better places to stay in such a lovely city. would suggest i would find a different one next time.

the only thing Grand about the Grand was the size of the bathroom. it was really big. even had a built-in TV for those who like to sit in a tub. shower stall with room for three, easy. separate WC as well. the bed was just fine. the desk a joke. the only electric outlet hidden under the back skirting of the fake Louis IVX spindle legged thing. probably was fine when one only wrote post cards. not sufficient at all for todays world. I only had time for a short dinner in the bar/lounge. food was prompt and just fine. crabcakes and a 'wedge' with blue cheese dressing. plenty. actually one portion would have been fine for two. or a family of six in Chad. the ubiquitous large screen TV was showing the monday night gridiron match. reception staff need to learn about the valuable pleasures of a smile. would have made a lot of difference. there are better places to stay in the city. 2008.09

Ageing is everyone’s business.

The Grey Tsunami – no. an Army of useful citizens.

the generation now is the first generation that might not live as lang as their parents. Then life expectancy really does matter and we need to reconsider health and well-being in western civilizations.

Shortgevity in contrast to longevity. This is the way in which one talks about life in Africa at this time. The public health issues around infections disease, emergencies, mental health.

The illness costs of air pollution. In Canada alone, 21,000 deaths per annum due to air pollution alone.

Minister of Handwashing. This was the name given to the Minister who was focusing on infectious disease after SARS. The lessons learned had to do with the four Cs – collaboration, cooperation, communication and clarity of responsibility.

GERMS do not respect borders!

If it’s measured it get noticed. If it’s noticed, it gets dealt with.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a map is worth a thousand pictures. This is in support of the GIS utilization in healthcare.

Body betrayal. – physical ailments, mobility, pain, cognitive ans sensory impairment

ELDERS vs ELDERLY

HEAT WAVE – a book to get. It is about the disaster in Chicago in 1995.

CDC vulnerability study. Looks interesting.
Put the public back into public health. Especially the elderly. Its really about keeping people well, not just patching them up. The worst that thing that a doctor can do is to treat someone and then send them back to the situation that made them sick to begin with.

David Sinclair. Help the Aged. UK [http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/en-gb]

they just recently commissioned a futures group to look at what future communities might look like. we know that there is an ever increasing number of older people. their work is focused on the UK. with age also comes dementia and disability. there is also a changing pattern or dependency ratios. huge increase in single person households and decline in average household size. impact of this on isolation and housing needs to be considered. ONE THIRD of all elderly say that they are LONELY. involvement in politics is falling. trend from patients to healthcare consumers. lots of health problems along with this.

CHL presented on needs and desires as a framework for thinking about the future.

JB Bakole Director of the UN Program on Habitat. Congo.
he reviewed many of the statistics we had heard already. then make the point that so much of the conversatoin we have been having has really been focused on the 'developed world'. he made a plea for consideration of the rest of the world.

1. all the policies that should be developed need to develop the autonomy of the elderly. especially the stability for the elderly. they need an equilibrium.
2. important to reconize the necessity of access to health care opportunities. this is not very self evident
3. economic insecurity is the last peril. they usually do not have the coverage of health insurance. they cannot live on $1 a day.

it is really important that the infrastructure which is created is indeed done so with the consultation of the local folks. there cannot be simply developed world solutions brought to us.
[http://www.unhabitat.org/categories.asp?catid=564]

JA Bichard. Researcher. Helen Hamlyn Center.
[http://www.hhc.rca.ac.uk/220/all/1/jo-anne_bichard.aspx]
Toilets of Tomorrow.
great presentation on toilets and the increasing need for more of them.

Dr Jennifer Rouse. Trinidad and Tobago. Division on Ageing, Ministry of Social Development.

TT
The department is being expected to move towards a business plan. There are also many challenges in keeping senior staff as they are not well paid and supported. There is also a challenge with migration. The biggest challenge is that each government stops the programs of the former govt and starts its own program. There is also a separation of Health and Well-Being. Health is based on pathology

Oil and Gas is prevalent. The countries are wealthy.
The planning of the programs is based on the fact that the boomers are in power and will be the direct beneficiaries of the planning.

2003 a vision of ageing program was started. This created a policy that was launched last year. With that policy, twelve action areas were identified. Homes of Older Person’s Act. This provides for the protection and licensing of the care industry.

95% of all older persons reside in communities, not in residences.

Loneliness, health and income security are the three most important issues to the seniors.

Most seniors are not aware of their entitlements or the opportunities which are there for them.

‘are you ready to retire’ a series of workshops that were held.

Be the change you want to see. This is what she referenced when she talked about her own life.

Excellent speaker. Very articulate, passionate and pleasant.

Mr WU Yushao, China. Vice President of China National Committee on Ageing.

It is fundamental to develop an ageing at home policy/solution for China. There is a great awareness that the aging of the population will be one of their largest problems. By 2050 41% will be elderly. This will be one of the largest in the world. The other issue is the change in the family structure. The decline in fertility from five or six children for each woman to one or two has had a big effect. 40 to 50% of families are empty nesters. This is up to 50% in some cities. Ageing place is part of traditional culture in China. 85% of elderly wish to remain in their home and take care of them selves. Only 6-8% of elderly wish to stay or go into institutions. Beginning in 2006, the government has begun to encourage local programs. This was first initialized in the Eastern provinces.

Ms Terrie Alafat. Director. UK Department of Communities and Local Government.

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods. A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society

The demographic changes are as great a challenge a climate change. They have been working very hard to get the issues mainstreamed into the public agenda. In the UK 70% of older people own their home and this number is rising. Only 5% are in shelter housing and 5% in care homes. Older households make up almost one third of all communities. The debate has moved from Pension and Care to Housing and Community. There has also been a realization that too much of an individual’s equity is tied up in a home. If service levels would remain the same, there would be an extraordinary funding gap.

The voluntary sector has been key to develop this strategy. There is a TRIANGLE if independence. Health. Care and Housing create the three corners.

28% of older citizens live in non-decent or hazardous housing.

Lack of confidence and fear prevents them from leaving home. One third only leave home once a week.

Poor paving
Fear of crime
Lack of benches
Lack of public toilets
Traffic and parked cars

Good barrier free paths
Distance/proximity

Healthier happier older people can make a huge contribution to society.

Three principles in the Strategy [WHICH LOOKS REALLY INTERESTING!]
Prevention, Empowerment, and Services.

Lifetime Homes Standards. should be in place by 2013 for all subsidized housing.

Mr Edwin Walker. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging. US Dept of Health and Human Services.

Last year the Sectary of State held the first conference on ageing. Sect Rice acknowledged the important of ageing. The US is in a demographic revolution.

Every five minutes 23 adults turn 65 in the US alone.

25% of all US households have taken on care giving roles.
Massive overhall of current long-term care programs.
1. provide affordable choices and options to support independence
2. give consumers control meaningful
3. empower consumers to make informed decisions
4. high-quality flexible services
three major programs – Medicare [entitlement program from Govt for 65+], Medicaid [limited income aid program joint funded with States intended for poorest of the poor], 30 of the 50 states are spending over 80% of their budgets on long-tem care packages. Older Americans Act [Funds social and helath related services in communities] this last is aimed at helping to keep individuals at home if they choose.

They are also working to help States with their programs. One of these is ‘the money follows the person’. One program allows recipients to pay their family members and neighbours to help with their care. First federal website to help individuals plan for their future. The looming boomer retirement will test the system to its limit. 78 million. They are now trying to encourage these retirees to plan for their long-term care when they retire. The idea is to integrate, single points of entry for overall care.

Housing and Mobility are two vital issues for the US. national center on senior education. oder driver plan. income security is vital to ageing in place.

Really well spoken and interesting.

Ms Mary Murnane. Deputy Secretary. Australia Department of Health and Ageing.
Australia.
Older people prefer to stay in their own homes. However this is not always possible. An effort was made to allow those who had to move from their home to move into ONE place and not be required to move more than one time as their care needs increased. There is an increased emphasis on community care. There are two types of packages: Community Care and Residential Care. The latter has either low level – meals and cleaning etc at their house – and high care – which is total nursing home care.

Support for carers is an important aspect that is often neglected. They focus on both.

‘the office of older Australians’

the system is variegated. This is both a boon and bane. Due to the federated nature of the commonwealth of Australia, the differentials between states and territories is so great. They ar working on attempting to bring things together. One real fundamental is housing. There is still a great need for appropriate residential housing. She feels that one huge challenge is high quality residential care. She expects that the new elderly cohorts will be healthier and wealthier. “People in Australia hang on as long as they can, and then they need high care.”

there are currently 475,000 primary care givers who co-habitate with those they care for.

the number of older Australians in housing stress has doubled recently due to a dearth of rental properties as well as increase in rents.

Will ageing in place fit the purposes of coming cohorts?
Is care at home feasible for the very ill and those with extreme ill health?
Can we make care options more viable, manageable, accessible without making them more generic?

Dr Erika Winkler. Deputy Director. Austria. Ministry of Social Affairs and Consumer Protection
In Austria
Every five years, life expectancy increases by one year.
More than 90% of persons 60+ become older independently, 10% have a need of care an assistance of up to 120 hours per week.
4% of those over 60 live in nursing homes with the average age of those entering care is 82+. There are a series of programs that they are proud of:
Active Ageing
Ageing Wellington Reiter Life-Long Learning
Fit and Active
Voluntary Commitments

Some of their success are their encouragement of Communal infrastructure and Competition for senior citizen friendly communities - *this is interesting.

VOLUNTEERING seems to play an important role for their programs.

They also have family hospice leave for 3 to 6 months. This to care for a dying family member.

Last year saw the implementation of the Home Care Act.
Commissioned the Frist national report on persons 80+ due to the srong increase, tripling, of this cohort.
_________
This was interesting in that they anticipate the elderly being fit. i wonder how this compares with the US or other places that do not have mountains to climb......

Ms Susan Scotti. Assistant Deputy Minister. Canada Dept of Human REsource and Social Development

The number of seniors by2041, 25% of Canadians will be ‘seniors’. It is a nation of rapidly aging workforce. The Canadian Retirement System is a vital part of allowing its citizens to retire gracefully. OAS is a first tier system for all seniors in the country. There is then a guaranteed income supplement for those who have next to nothing. And finally there is a couple’s allowance. This is all funded thru taxes. CPP is the second part of the system. This is the mandatory Canadian plan. There is a measure of protection thru this program. 25% of average industrial wage. The risks and responsibilities are shared by the govt, the firms and the individuals. The third part is the private savings plans. About 40% of employees are covered by benefit plans. All three tiers are important to allow a base income to exist to support the elderly after retirement.

The shrinking labour force is potentially putting a strain on the program. However, it was assured that the program. The number of beneficiaries will double over the next 25 years or so. They have created a separate pension fund which is held at arms length to ensure that there is responsible investments.

It is interesting to see that they are so sure that their plan is secure. I hope that they are right.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/03/opinion/edfriedman.php

Thomas L. Friedman: Then there was one
By Thomas L. Friedman
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 in the IHT
College students are gathering back on campuses not only to start the fall semester, but also, in some cases, to vote for the first time in a presidential election. There is no bigger issue on campuses these days than environment/energy.

Going into this election, I thought that - for the first time - we would have a choice between two "green" candidates. That view is no longer operative - and college students (and everyone else) need to understand that.

With his choice of Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor who has advocated drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and does not believe mankind is playing any role in climate change, for vice president, John McCain has completed his makeover from the greenest Republican to run for president to just another representative of big oil.

Given the fact that McCain deliberately avoided voting on all eight attempts to pass a bill extending the vital tax credits and production subsidies to expand America's wind and solar industries, and given his support for lowering the gasoline tax in a reckless giveaway that would only promote more gasoline consumption and intensify our addiction to oil, and given his desire to make more oil-drilling, not innovation around renewable energy, the centerpiece of his energy policy - in an effort to mislead voters that support for drilling today would translate into lower prices at the pump today - McCain has forfeited any claim to be a green candidate.

So please, students, when McCain comes to your campus and flashes a few posters of wind turbines and solar panels, ask him why he has been AWOL when it came to Congress supporting these new technologies.

"Back in June, the Republican Party had a round-up," said Carl Pope, the executive director of the Sierra Club. "One of the unbranded cattle - a wizened old maverick name John McCain - finally got roped. Then they branded him with a big 'Lazy O' - George Bush's brand, where the O stands for oil. No more maverick."

"One of McCain's last independent policies putting him at odds with Bush was his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," added Pope, "yet he has now picked a running mate who has opposed holding big oil accountable and been dismissive of alternative energy while focusing her work on more oil drilling in a wildlife refuge and off of our coasts. While the northern edge of her state literally falls into the rising Arctic Ocean, Sarah Palin says, 'The jury is still out on global warming.' She's the one hanging the jury - and John McCain is going to let her."

Indeed, Palin's much ballyhooed confrontations with the oil industry have all been about who should get more of the windfall profits, not how to end our addiction.

Barack Obama should be doing more to promote his green agenda, but at least he had the courage, in the heat of a Democratic primary, not to pander to voters by calling for a lifting of the gasoline tax. And while he has come out for a limited expansion of offshore drilling, he has refrained from misleading voters that this is in any way a solution to our energy problems.

I am not against a limited expansion of offshore drilling now. But it is a complete sideshow. By constantly pounding into voters that his energy focus is to "drill, drill, drill," McCain is diverting attention from what should be one of the central issues in this election: Who has the better plan to promote massive innovation around clean power technologies and energy efficiency.

Why? Because renewable energy technologies - what I call "ET" - are going to constitute the next great global industry. They will rival and probably surpass "IT" - information technology. The country that spawns the most ET companies will enjoy more economic power, strategic advantage and rising standards of living. We need to make sure that is America. Big oil and OPEC want to make sure it is not.

Palin's nomination for vice president and her desire to allow drilling in the Alaskan wilderness "reminded me of a lunch I had three and half years ago with one of the Russian trade attaches," global trade consultant Edward Goldberg said to me. "After much wine, this gentleman told me that his country was very pleased that the Bush administration wanted to drill in the Alaskan wilderness. In his opinion, the amount of product one could actually derive from there was negligible in terms of needs. However, it signified that the Bush administration was not planning to do anything to create alternative energy, which of course would threaten the economic growth of Russia."

So, college students, don't let anyone tell you that on the issue of green, this election is not important. It is vitally important, and the alternatives could not be more black and white.