24
January
2009
|
06:41 AM
America/Los_Angeles

Saturday Post: The Green Silver Lining In The Economic Clouds

The global economic crisis doesn't seem to be showing any rays of light, which is quite worrying. But at least there is some good green news from the economic slowdown:

- Factories around the world have scaled back production and are not polluting air and groundwater as much as before.

- We have fewer trucks and ships polluting the atmosphere.

- We have a much smaller carbon footprint worldwide because there is far less use of fossil fuels in manufacture and transportation.

- We are buying fewer replacements for goods we own and making them last longer, lightening the load on landfills.

- We are using less of the earth's limited resources in manufacturing goods and providing various services.

- Fewer of us are traveling to jobs which reduces carbon footprint and pollution.

- Less pollution improves people's health and saves lives.

- More importantly: We are more likely to develop and adopt technologies that are more cost efficient, which means saving resources and energy. And this is where Silicon Valley's companies have a key role, developing disruptive technologies that replace the more wasteful processes that are currently used in many industries. It will lead to the creation of new rules enterprises--businesses that are greener and more profitable.

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Please see: As the economy slumps, so does trash - Los Angeles Times