Get It In Writing

The Financial Times is reporting that more than 80% of stimulus dollars being spent on wind energy has been going to companies outside the US.

The report, conducted by the Washington-based non-profit Investigative Reporting Workshop, states that of the more than $1 billion in US Treasury grants awarded thus far, 84% has gone to European wind-turbine manufacturers, with the largest recipient being the US subsidiary of Spanish manufacturer Iberdrola Renewables. According to the report, the eleven US-based wind farms that have received cash grants to expand their operations have purchased a total of 982 wind turbines….695 of those from overseas. That has created an estimated 4500 jobs for other countries’ economies.

A vast majority of Americans overwhelmingly support the development and funding of solar energy, according to the 2009 SCHOTT Solar Barometer, a national survey conducted by independent polling firm Kelton Research.

The report in Solar Industry Magazine also indicates that this support is spread across all political parties, with 89% of Republicans, 94% of Democrats and 93% of Independents agreeing that it is important for the U.S. to develop and use solar power.

The survey found that 92% of Americans think it is important for the U.S. to develop and use solar energy. This figure is largely unchanged since the previous SCHOTT survey in June 2008.

Getting people to change their habits and go green isn’t always easy. Only a certain percentage of folks are motivated by the knowledge that it’s the “right” thing to do….and even then, only a certain percentage of the time.

As any eco advocate will tell you, economics is a more powerful persuader than ecology. More people are motivated by saving money than by saving the planet. Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative….show someone how going green can reduce their expenses and it ceases to be a political issue.

Okay, it’s not eco-tech per se….but it’s technology and it’s one of the coolest applications that’s been released in the recent past. Mashable‘s Ben Parr reports on PhotoSketch, an image recognition software created by five computer science students at Tsinghua University and the National University of Singapore.

The basic premise works like this:

1.  Draw the outlines of the figures you want in your picture – anything from seagulls to a Mercedes, whatever.

2. Add labels for each of the items, as well as for the background.

Phoenix eco-technology company Green Fuel Technologies is hosting their annual Fall Festival this Saturday, October 3, at their Phoenix headquarters at 2801 Willetta Street. The open house celebration will feature live music, free food and drink, as well as education, exhibitions and entertainment for all ages.

The day-long event will offer presentations for homeowners, consumers and job-seekers. Guest speakers from Green Fuel will be joined by spokespersons from SRP, APS, local businesses and community organizations, covering a wide range of topics on renewable energies, home efficiency, money-saving tips, business opportunities and more.

Phoenix Developer Leads by Example, Greening Neighborhoods One Building at a Time

Philip Beere is hardly your typical fix-and-flip home remodeler. True, his company has been involved in purchasing and renovating older homes for resale, but the similarity ends there.

In an age when cities and corporations have been rightfully criticized for “greenwashing” or falsely over-hyping their environmental practices, Beere is one of few urban pioneers who truly walks the walk and talks the talk, making a difference both by doing and by empowering others.

Just got off a one hour conference call with Peter Shankman (HARO) and Chris Brogan (New Marketing Labs). Shankman speaks faster than most humans), but suffice it to say, totally inspirational.

I admit to being a right-brained creative, and I’m one of those people who has spent little of my adult life working traditional jobs. Shankman wrote a column last year that summarizes brilliantly the reasons people like me can’t sit in an office. “Why don’t you do some work?” is here. (And as one of 12,256 Facebook fans, I’m probably just contributing to Peter’s nosebleed territory-high SEO rankings, but hey…props to the guy, not just for deeply grokking how these tools have enhanced our communication, but for his ability to impart that info and that enthusiasm to others.)

Welcome to the new Get it In Writing site.

The new site is the first of many changes, reflecting a new era of growth for our company. Get It In Writing has added new creative talent and expanded our client base.

Get It In Writing and FiftyFourMedia bring together a team of creative professionals in multimedia, the arts, technology and networking, merging traditional media relations with viral networking to deliver publicity that’s polished and professional but street-level savvy.

From earth-friendly innovation and whole-home systems to professional audio, educational and high-end multimedia technologies, we’re proud to be the creative force behind the success stories.