Posts Tagged ‘ sustainability forum ’

Do You Know Smart Grid?

January 15, 2011

Turns out that only 11% of us know what the term “smart grid” is all about.  That’s what Parks Associates says as a result of recent study.  So, that’s why we’re spending some time on the subject at the Sustainability Forum at the Cleantech Innoventure in Lynn. 

As co-chair,  I’ve targeted two smart speakers on the matter.  First up is Bob Halpin on Feb 2, founder of the Massachusetts Smart Grid Innovators Collaborative (MASCIC).  This organization represents entrepreneurs and technology leaders from across several industry sectors in Massachusetts.   On March 2, we turn to Gregg Dixon of Enernoc, a publicly traded company that helps organizations to use energy more intelligently. 

It’s all about awareness, right?  Then we focus on the problem.

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Green Chemistry & Bunratty’s

August 4, 2010

It is my pleasure to serve as vice-chairman for the Sustainability Forum.  It’s one of two special interest groups within the North Shore Technology Council.  We have a large membership of executives, engineers, attorneys and venture capitalists.  Our objective is to do our part here north of Boston.  We are also uniquely affiliated with a clean-tech incubator – the Cleantech Innoventure Center (CIVC) in Lynn. 

 Today, we had a kickass speaker: Dr John Warner, the father of Green Chemistry.  Green Chem is a newly emerging area with some profound implications for the toxic soup of molecules that surround us.  But equally fascinating is John Warner.  He’s no ordinary nerd.  He has hundreds of patents & papers; relationships with presidents, prime ministers and corporate heads; he’s even been tapped by Swarzenegger to help California rise above the mess. 

 But what’s really remarkable about John Warner?  Well, I’ve written a little bit about him here.  It’s our Sustainability Forum blog.  You won’t believe it, but John was once just another UMass Boston kid, a music major in fact.  Chemistry was just for nerds.  Really an incredible guy, working on an incredible cause. 

 He also happened to mention it’s really Massachusetts that has the distinct opportunity to be the “Silicon Valley of Sustainability.”  Music to our ears.

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