What is the tension between "CleanTech" - e.g. a new hybrid car - and (what I'll call) "BrownTech"? Repairing an older gas guzzler to run another year before mining, refining, consuming for new?
Early adapters proudly display their new CleanTech device. As they should. By electively upgrading to a newer, environmentally-efficient device, they are sending signals to the market and to investors. The early adapters are on the front lines, bringing the scalability (lowered cost and efficiency) to the new wind, solar, sustainable, recycled-content, non-toxic, etc. markets.
But being able to afford these elective #CleanTech upgrades is a privilege not shared by poor people, especially those in Emerging Markets (so-called "third world" countries). For them, they are upgrading from a black and white 1967 television to a color 19" CRT. From not having a phone at all to a flip Motorola.
The new #cleantech device trade shows are exciting. So are ghetto repair shops. We are on the same spectrum of Life Cycle Analysis. The differences are economic and cultural.
 |
| https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/Mariordo |
