Clean Tech at GLOBE 2010

Vancouver B.C. buzzed last week with world leaders “dedicated to the business of the environment.”  Harvest was part of the mix at Globe 2010 making links between Seattle, Vancouver BC, and the world.  It all started out with transportation organized by enterpriseSeattle.  Imagine an eclectic group of Seattle leaders: clean tech engineers, marketing folks, film producers, journalists,  lobbyists, lawyers, and business strategists.  Add three gallons of coffee and an endless supply of muffins, and you have a lively bus trip.

The energy continued on the Vancouver exhibition floor with connections between countries and technologies.  Throughout the booths, seasoned veterans swapped stories about wind, solar, wave and biogas energy solutions.  Banks with green streaks shared investment strategies in the sustainability field.  Schools such as Simon Fraser University’s Work-Integrated-Learning program scoped out opportunities to combine studies with career development.  Local government agencies shared their efforts to create a sustainable regions.

People, planet, and profit ponderings continued through the evening.  Then, over breakfast, Peter Beattie, Queensland Trade Commissioner to North and South America and the former Queensland Premier, described how Australia’s clean tech industries are poised to skyrocket.  According to Mr. Beattie, the conditions are perfect:  the timing is right now that the planet has passed peak oil; political stars are aligning; economic incentives are in place; people want to leverage these opportunities to put clean energy sources in their communities.

Clean tech around the world: the conditions are perfect.

Alexander MacFarlane guest speaker at Green Drinks!

Join us for a night of Green Drinks, at Tavern in Central Square, on St. Patrick’s Day!

(Greater) Boston Green Drinks meets at a neighborhood pub on the 1st Tuesday and 3rd Wednesday of every month, from ~6:00 — ~9:00 pm. These free-form events are a great way for you to catch up with old friends in the movement or make new ones, as well as keep your finger on the pulse of local events. We’re looking for people of all ages, from all walks of life, including non-profit, for-profit, government, law, finance, writing, publishing, fundraising, graphic design, business, academia, the arts…the bottom line is that everyone is welcome! So make a note in your calendar and invite friends along.

The purpose of Green Drinks is primarily FUN, but the events also enable people to: share new ideas, learn about opportunities to work for change and to make a difference, discuss the state of the world…Green Drinks can be whatever you want it to be. So come have a few drinks and meet like-minded individuals who share your interest in building a sustainable society and planet. You can keep up with the speaking schedule and what is going on by joining their Google Group here.

Alexander MacFarlane the Director of Research and Development at Harvest Power will be the guest speaker!

Alex will talk about biomethane, the best biofuel.  Society’s biofuel technology platform should not compete with food production, but rather should be a key component in increasing the quality, quantity and sustainability of agriculture & horticulture.  Biomethane can be created from cutting-edge, proven digestion and gasification technologies while producing valuable compost and biochar soil products.  All aspects of these processes occur in nature and can now be harnessed cost-effectively.

As we recognize the imperative to move beyond existing methods of waste disposal, fossil-based energy and chemical-intensive food production, it is now essential to choose the right biofuel technology platform.  The biomethane platform is a powerful common-sense tool for combating the climate crisis while improving our quality of life.

Prior to joining Harvest, Alex founded Think 21, LLC a biogas project developer focused on High Solids Anaerobic Digestion. He also founded and ran a green building consultancy at Community Environmental Center, a New York City-based non-profit.  Some of his notable projects included the first LEED Silver affordable gut-rehab in NYC and the NYCDEP/EPA 2006 Green Building Competition winning PittSt. Residence.

Alex has a Master’s in Environmental Management and Policy from the I.I.I.E.E. at Lund University in Sweden and a B.A. in Environmental Biology from Columbia University. He is a certified SWANA Compost Operations Manager, a L.E.E.D. Accredited Professional and the inventor of a patent-pending building integrated solar technology.

Harvest provides industry leading technologies,project development and product marketing capabilities to extract the maximum value from organic waste through the production of renewable energy in combination with high-quality compost-based soil and mulch products. Harvest partners with compost facilities and waste managers in North America to build, own and operate next-generation organics recycling facilities.

Boston Green Drinks
March 17, 6 – 8 pm; speaker starts at 7
Tavern in Central Square, 720 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Speaker: Alex McFarlane, from Harvest Power