The conservative city of Georgetown, Texas, runs on renewable energy. After all, wind and solar power are more predictable and easier to budget than oil and gas. Clean power pushes may be associated with more left-leaning cities, but Republican mayor Dale Ross called the switch to renewables a no-brainer. [...]
On an even larger scale, the costs of switching to renewable energy are larger up front, though they save money in the future. For example, Denmark struggled to store its wind power in a way that allowed them to save it for times of high electricity demand. Then they encouraged residents to buy electric cars. Now these vehicles act like moving batteries, and people can sell the energy back to the grid when the cars are parked. “They are giving people monetary incentives,” says Brown.
Companies that do right by the climate don’t just make more money over time. They earn customer trust. Brown polled the audience to see who bought Patagonia mountain gear because the company famously practices environmental conscientiousness. Many bought Patagonia clothing for this reason. Ford and Heineken are companies that most people don’t necessarily associate with green practices, but that might soon change. After the last fuel crisis in 2010, Ford created F150s that are lighter and more energy-efficient. The company also hired the architect Bill McDonough to redesign the Ford Rouge Center, a manufacturing facility built on the wetlands of Michigan. Ford wanted to clean up toxic stormwater and expand the plant. Now, the roof is covered with plants that clean rainwater and moderate the temperature of the building.
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