Unless you’re completely oblivious to what’s happening on Earth, you know there’s a world full of concerts going on.  Live Earth.  With some things, I like to exercise a modicum of skepticism to make sure I know my feelings on the issue.  I was slow to come around to Live Earth.  I mean, I love a good concert.  I’ve seen DMB in concert multiple times.  I respect many of these artists for their tireless contribution to musicality.  But, I popped open the Live Earth Global Warming Handbook and here’s Tip #45: Take a Bath Together.  How am I supposed to take this book seriously?  What is this, some silly excuse to get it on?  Well, I kept reading.  Tip #45 talked about low-flow toilets and a future world with water shortages.  Water heating can take up to 25% of a home’s energy use.  I decided I should change my attitude and bought the book.  To take the words of one of the greatest musicians (and I mean musicality when I say that), John Mayer:

To the journalists who will lay in wait for the perfectly maligned moment of hypocrisy, you will probably find one if that’s how you want to spend your time. Just use this as a measuring stick; give Live Earth’s initiative at least as much benefit of the doubt as you’ve given to the iPhone, or a new Radiohead album…Sure, if I wanted to be cynical, I could pose the question as to what happens if the biggest concert on Earth takes place only to hear the world respond with a resounding "that’s nice, but have you seen the cat that plays piano on YouTube?" But all I feel going into Saturday afternoon is hope. And lots of it.

Point well taken.  I’m watching Live Earth highlights of what looks like Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Ludacris, Jack Johnson, and maybe the Pussycat Dolls?  I’m also thinking this event should raise the world’s awareness of the low hanging environmental fruit.  Plastic bags, CFLs, Junk Mail, etc.  I’ve spent the last 2-3 hours reading through David de Rothschild’s Global Warming Handbook and there’s some good leads here.  Here’s some content relevant to the scope of Jetson Green,

Good Links:
++The 10 Easiest Ways to Green Your Home [MSN RE]
++Re-Thinking Energy in Homes [Live Earth Green]
++Green Construction Saves Money and Earth [MSNBC]

1. Boston suburbs urged to adhere to smart growth principles or face the loss of open space and dwindling water resources. 
2. There’s money to be made in green ideas; the business landscaped has changed from risk management to chasing revenue growth opportunities. 
3. Businesses are investing in energy efficient measures for the main purpose of decreasing rising energy costs. 
4. Enterprise Green Communities continues support for green buildings by handing out four grants of $70,000 to Los Angeles-based affordable housing developers. 

UPDATE: 4/27/08 – the market has changed substantially since writing this article and some of the green funds I was in touch with are no longer looking for deals. 

Hey green developers, I’m not sure what stage of planning you’re in and whether you’ve completely figured out your capital stack, but I have some information that may be of assistance in finding a good equity partner.  Feel free to shoot me an email at jetsongreen at yahoo.com, and I can get back to you.  In your email, let me know the company you’re with and some quick details about the green project you are planning.  I may be able to help developers with the following general characteristics:

• Experienced developer of LEED or other third-party green certified real estate assets;
• A reputation for quality and excellence in development;
• Track record of handling projects averaging $50-$75M or more;
• Looking for equity financing for a green development in any real estate product type.

I’m not promising anything, I’m just saying, depending on your situation, I may have information on a good source for equity capital from people that know green development. 

Stories about sprawl are pretty compelling.  With sprawl, on the one hand, you have unrestrained capitalism and the chase for economic distinction, and on the other hand, you have depleted community resources, mediocre homes, and limited city resources.  Tough issues to deal with on both sides.  Here’s the gist on two, new sprawl movies:

1. The Unforeseen – Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival 2007, this is documentary about a development near Barton Springs in Austin, Texas.  Apparently, the story is told evenly from all sides and somewhere in the middle, the developer gets a little help from the future Governor George Bush. 
2. Radiant City: A Documentary About Suburban Sprawl – there’s a trailer for this one above.  Garage-centric homes, side-by-side, with no community feel whatsoever.  Apparently this film is comedic and tugs at the problems of sprawl in a unique way. 

I haven’t seen either (other than trailers), but I look forward to seeing them when they come around. 

1. Real estate industry quietly embracing green development, with 41% of U.S. REITs actively pursuing energy efficiency and green building upgrades. 
2. Business leaders aver that even though companies are greening products of all kinds, buyers are unwilling to pay a green premium (ed. note = consumers probably think the premium is unjustifiably exorbitant, even with the green components). 
3. Enjoy your green stay: hotels are rolling out all sorts of green programs, in part because customers demand them, and in part because they save money. 
4. The eco-friendly house (and renovation) has gone mainstream, but is it really worth the cost?