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Climate Change is the #1 Problem the World Faces

Lee H

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Wow. There's a lot of skepticism on here about climate change.

I used to be a skeptic too but am definitely more of a believer these days.

We can't keep polluting the air, water and land at the levels we are and not expect a reaction from our ecosystem.

Is it a way for some areas of government or other entities to get more money out of the masses? Yes, absolutely. But that doesn't mean it's not happening.

If I were looking to get into the "climate change business" I would look at:

Clean energy systems
Micro generation
Nuclear fusion
Plastic replacement - especially packaging - paper bags anyone?

I am generally skeptical when it comes to vested interest groups touting their beliefs, like the oil industry saying we will run out (scarcity tactics) or big pharma being unable to cure diseases when it's far more profitable to treat people long term - but that's just me being and old suspicious type!
 
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Maxboost

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Wow. There's a lot of skepticism on here about climate change.

I used to be a skeptic too but am definitely more of a believer these days.

We can't keep polluting the air, water and land at the levels we are and not expect a reaction from our ecosystem.

Is it a way for some areas of government or other entities to get more money out of the masses? Yes, absolutely. But that doesn't mean it's not happening.

If I were looking to get into the "climate change business" I would look at:

Clean energy systems
Micro generation
Nuclear fusion
Plastic replacement - especially packaging - paper bags anyone?

I am generally skeptical when it comes to vested interest groups touting their beliefs, like the oil industry saying we will run out (scarcity tactics) or big pharma being unable to cure diseases when it's far more profitable to treat people long term - but that's just me being and old suspicious type!

The complete list of faltering or bankrupt green-energy companies:

Evergreen Solar ($25 million)*
SpectraWatt ($500,000)*
Solyndra ($535 million)*
Beacon Power ($43 million)*
Nevada Geothermal ($98.5 million)
SunPower ($1.2 billion)
First Solar ($1.46 billion)
Babcock and Brown ($178 million)
EnerDel’s subsidiary Ener1 ($118.5 million)*
Amonix ($5.9 million)
Fisker Automotive ($529 million)
Abound Solar ($400 million)*
A123 Systems ($279 million)*
Willard and Kelsey Solar Group ($6 million)*
Johnson Controls ($299 million)
Schneider Electric ($86 million)
Brightsource ($1.6 billion)
ECOtality ($126.2 million)
Raser Technologies ($33 million)*
Energy Conversion Devices ($13.3 million)*
Mountain Plaza, Inc. ($2 million)*
Olsen’s Crop Service and Olsen’s Mills Acquisition Company ($10 million)*
Range Fuels ($80 million)*
Thompson River Power ($6.5 million)*
Stirling Energy Systems ($7 million)*
Azure Dynamics ($5.4 million)*
GreenVolts ($500,000)
Vestas ($50 million)
LG Chem’s subsidiary Compact Power ($151 million)
Nordic Windpower ($16 million)*
Navistar ($39 million)
Satcon ($3 million)*
Konarka Technologies Inc. ($20 million)*
Mascoma Corp. ($100 million)

***Add to the fact that you need to bribe politicians to get into this industry.
 

Fassina

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I am generally skeptical when it comes to vested interest groups touting their beliefs, like the oil industry saying we will run out (scarcity tactics) or big pharma being unable to cure diseases when it's far more profitable to treat people long term - but that's just me being and old suspicious type!
That had to be the dumbest scarcity tactic ever if the oil industry was behind it. The consequences of it were only negative for them, i.e people started looking for alternatives. You'd think if they were behind it, these findings would have been retracted after they noticed the unintended negative outcomes they brought on themselves.

Big Pharma is interesting, there are problems there, specially with how they give doctors small gifts and meals, and free pills to give out. But cures ? Sounds far fetched, if curing some diseases was that easy you'd think some independent scientists or college professors would find them too even if it took them 5-10 years longer.

They'd risk a lot of potential money if somebody else found the cure and didn't publish even though they had it. Technically they can make more indefinitely by not finding the cure, but competition exists independent researchers, foreigner governments or groups etc. It's too risky and the upside too low.

Be skeptical though that's good, just remember to apply it to both sides of the argument..
 

UKPat

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I have no boss, wake up whenever and can do anything I want, but it's getting old.

I was just in it for money and tried to convince myself there was value.

I'm tired of sitting here. I'm tired of doing nothing.

I want to add value and impact a lot of people.

Hi Pat

From what you've written, it sounds like you want to do something meaningful with your life.

You can have a positive impact on the world and others, and there is more to life than entrepreneurship and the pursuit of monetary riches alone.

Although my statement may initially sound like a Slowlane statement, it isn't.

You're no longer on the Fastlane, but in a helicopter, taking a broader view of the world in your journey through life. As you can see, the world is on fire, and we're all going to die if we don't individually do something about it.

With a greater perspective than money alone, you're able to see the needs of the world, and it's good that you're are willing to do something about it.

What's interesting is that even as an entrepreneur, you're on to something of a win/win for yourself and others.

--
I started researching problems to solve and thought, "climate collapse is pretty damn serious" and I researched a lot of ways to combat it.

I have connections with factory owners and I have no problems cutting deals.

You're onto a winner if you've found profitable ways to tackle climate collapse.

Your connections with manufacturers and deal making skills will undoubtedly be a boon, so use them to good effect.

Personally I support you with the idea of doing business in the sustainability / regeneration industry, regardless of whether it’s a fad or whether it's needed.

--
Fads and Trolls:

There are lots of fads, and as with all things (such as veganism), the merits can be debated until the cows come home. But climate collapse and species extinction have larger implications than all the fads before.

Ignoring climate collapse and mass species extinction is like ignoring your house that’s on fire while you're sleeping in it.

Great, you may be a millionaire and be a hero, but where are you going to live if our world can't sustain life any longer?

It's like that scene in Titanic where the rich guy tries to buy his way to safety but can't. There comes a time when money isn't worth shit, because we can't eat money.

There's wisdom in that old Indian quote:

When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money.

There are multiple forms of wealth, and most of them don't have anything to do with money.

--
Externalities:

We can't externalise the downsides of business on to the environment forever, because the environment is what supports our very life on earth. Talk about biting the hand that feeds us!

Every other argument that can be brought about whether green industries are good or not are moot compared to the fact that if we destroy our earth, we can no longer live on it.

In my view there's little down side to going all green as a world economy.

If we're wrong about climate collapse, then nothing happens beyond getting a greener world to live in. Think fresher air to breathe, cleaner water to drink, less toxic materials wrapping our food, less noisy cities to live in etc.

If the predictions about climate collapse and species extinction are correct and we do something about it, then humans will live a little longer as a result.

Only trolls and shills would argue against making industry green because there's basically no downside. (I suppose the single downside is that those trolls and shills might get butthurt because their trolling and selfishness can't mess up the world for others indefinitely. Boohoo.)

--
My question is am I just chasing another shiny fad or is this a smart play?

I am tired of failing chasing shiny businesses and gurus.

Pat, be empowered in your own choices and ignore the shiny businesses and the advice of gurus and others. Focus on solving a profitable need that you can see requires attention.

As MJ advises in the Fastlane Millionaire, perhaps you need to do a full decision matrix to weigh up the pros and cons of pursuing some of the opportunities you've spotted? If you do list the pros and cons, also add the mitigations for each con, to make the analysis more useful.

Worst Case Consequence Analysis helps avoid treasonous choices.

The Weighted Average Decision Matrix can help you make better big decisions by clarifying alternatives and their internal factors.

Use those tools and don't even worry if the green industry is a fad (it isn't).

You can see the world needs help to become more sustainable, and there are market opportunities in it.

Go for it!

--

Patrick
 
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UKPat

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Way too big of a problem to solve and the investment required would be astronomical.

Hi Kyle,

The cost of the investment may not necessarily be astronomical, as we don't know how much resources the OP has access to, nor do we know the types of opportunities they've spotted and can take advantage of.

Cancer and aging while certainly massive, are the lesser of two evils.

Climate collapse effects us all as a race permanently. It would be purely academic if we could extend the life of any individual for 1, 10 or 100 years if the entire human race dies in the mean time.

Yes age kills us all eventually, but our progeny survive us. With climate and species collapse, no one survives us.

To the OP and all of us who are able to capitalise upon opportunities by helping sustain life on this earth, go for it!

Patrick
 

UKPat

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Where is the evidence that climate change is this huge problem?

Just curious, I hear this all the time but still....no evidence.

Hi ExaltedLife,

Does your house literally need to be on fire before you decide (based on the evidence) that taking action is a good idea?

Only trolls and shills demand evidence incessantly, the more enlightened amongst us (like you and me) can see potential problems before they materialise fully and cause us all problems.

I'm sure you can recall a time when some form of pre-emptive thinking saved you or someone you know from serious pain and injury?

Ever had fillings at the dentist? Is it a conspiracy that dentists the world over are trying to make money, or do we all need to have a severe toothache to learn that preventative dental care is a good thing (even if it's expensive)?

Likewise, we can think of fire-retardant treated soft-furnishings.

Fire regulations have certainly been 'forced' upon us by the governments of the world, but yet they have saved lives in the process. Perhaps we should go and burn ourselves with some matches before we start crying about the loss of liberty that our governments have caused by forcing all these fire regs on us?

Did we need to see the evidence before we purchase a device with safety precautions built in, or are we thankful that they're here already so we don't get harmed by accident?

Maybe instead of cleverly (lazily?) saying 'show me the evidence', we should all resort to common sense and seek to avoid what could be a problem before it becomes a problem.

Remember that 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'.

How many days do you need to be cold and hungry before you agree that climate collapse isn't a good thing for humans?

And another thing…

Given that in this day and age of fake news, why should we even trust what an 'expert' says any more?

If a person believes that the authors of a report have an ulterior motive or dark agenda (which is impossible to disprove), then regardless of the veracity of the report, they'll still deny all the facts contained within, purely out of their own personal denial or agendas.

While I've every confidence that you're merely being inquisitive in good faith based on your other posts on the forum, I do wonder what your agenda may be when questioning climate science rather than just taking action?

Exactly how many floods, droughts, fires, hurricanes and out-of-season weather events do you need to experience yourself (or read about in the news) before you think it's odd that the climate is now routinely different than it used to be? Why do we have the hottest, wettest, coldest and driest months on record every month now, often out of season?

The economic impacts of the various hurricanes in the States is a good example of adverse climate events. We're entrepreneurs seeking to make mega bucks. Adverse climate events cause businesses problems the world over. As entrepreneurs, it's in our direct interests to take action in this area of concern.

If we're here to make money, why not make money from keeping the planet alive without questioning too deeply whether climate change is true or not? As long as there's a market, isn't that a green light to cash in?

Are some people worried that there's some global conspiracy at play here surrounding climate change, that will prevent the free thought and free activities of people globally? Frankly who cares when the cost of ignoring all these seriously negative climate events is becoming greater and greater with each passing year?

I reckon the real damage to our personal freedoms and liberties come from the existing vested interests of those who are in cahoots with global governments already. Examples include state backed industries like oil and arms profiteering massively at the expense of individuals the world over. Such industries could give a damn about the survival of the earth long term (but don't).

On the grander scale, why not be proactive instead of reactive about a problem that is causing problems for people every day? Sounds just like a problem worth solving (that people will gladly pay for).

--
I don’t understand why climate change even needs to be true.

I know that if a human being breathes car exhaust, he will die, so it’s probably not a great idea to put that exhaust into the air we all breathe. No apocalyptic boogeyman needed.

Ultimately the market has a better shot at solving the problem than regulators because unlike the government, the market is both creative and productive.

OP is right, this is a huge market arena we should all be watching.

Perfectly stated.
 

UKPat

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The one thing that always never get mentioned is that here in Canada and USA our population totals to 0.33 Billion of the world's 7.7 billion.

So even if North America reduced to 0% harm to the environment it would be about 10-15%? drop globally in harm done to the environment. Which yes is helpful. It's just that China and India have over 2.6 Billion people and produce almost 40% of the environmental harm as they continue to grow industrially.

Hi TheCj,

I know you've recognised that even a 10-15% drop would be helpful, and I'd also add the following:

We all have the power to influence people, both on the individual level and the global level.

America has enormous weight when negotiating trade deals, and if it mandated greener standards, their trading partners would follow suit in time.

A message for all of us here - don't let the futility of any individual actions you can make stop you from doing the right thing now.

For example:

If you were drowning in a lake, but someone stopped to fish you out to safety, would you think 'heck, there's 7.7 billion people on this planet, it wouldn't really matter if one of them died prematurely by drowning today', or would you just be glad that the person took individual action (no matter how small) and saved your a$$ from drowning?


Individual Entrepreneurs Have Power:

We have a surprising level of power as an individual, and the impact we can make if we become an influencer goes beyond what we'd imagine initially.

We can influence people profoundly, so how will you use your power?

We can influence our friends and families, our customers and our suppliers. We can influence our governments through votes, bribes and violence, and our trading partners too.

Our choices and actions cumulatively amount to something noticeable over time, like the number of tonnes of plastic bags NOT thrown into the environment since the introduction of the plastic bag tax in the UK recently.

Did the plastic bag tax in the UK hurt plastic bag manufacturers? Undoubtedly, yes.

Did they have the foresight to prepare for such an eventuality impacting their business by diversifying their product range, e.g. reusable bags?

Who knows, but if they didn't then, they I could care less if they suffered as a business. If they didn't do a PESTLE analysis and act accordingly, their loss of profit is entirely their own fault.

If we put commercial and political pressure on the governments of the world, then in time we will change the current status quo from the shitshow that is global politics today.

There are untold examples of local pressure and individual actions influencing politics, I'm sure you can think of a few yourself.

Remember that leading by example is always more powerful in bringing about change than pointing a finger at others and shifting the responsibility to them. Just because others are doing a bad thing, it doesn't mean we shouldn't raise our own game when we know it's the right thing to do.

We have personal agency and power, shouldn't we use it wisely to make the world a better place in our Fastlane journeys?

Patrick
 
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UKPat

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Naive people making the issue much worse while not conclusively proving the hypothesis is true. These doom and gloom environmentalists and alarmists have been freaking out the public since the 1960's from water shortages, oil shortages, the elimination of DDT to combat malaria (yeah!! we killed 30 million people! on a shit study), depletion of the rain forest, acid rain, Y2K, to Zika virus.

Hi Maxboost,

I like what Steven Covey says in his principle of 'seek first to understand'.

When we personally suffer, maybe we'll understand why people have been freaking out since the 60ies about this stuff?

Remind yourself what it feels like to suffer from dehydration and lack of access to clean drinking water (even for 1 day).

Remind yourself the last time you didn't have petrol, and how that effected your ability to get places and do things.

Let's also remind ourselves of the last time we were severely ill, and how great that felt. Even though I've never had malaria myself, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, and would support the fight against it.

If people like the OP are trying to make life healthier and more sustainable, that's a good thing. We could be applauding them and supporting them in their efforts.

--
Even if you did find the solution to climate change, special interest and lobbyists will never allow you into the market. I remember a company 10 years ago was being blocked by the government and special interest groups from creating a method of converting CO2 to oxygen...hhhmmmmm why would the government not fund this revolutionary concept instead give money to now-bankrupt "green"companies such as Solyndra?

Just because corrupt people in business and governments routinely thwart innovation and progress, it shouldn't stop any of us here from trying to make a positive impact as we aim for Fastlane success.

An uphill struggle becomes the summit of success.

The question is, how can we identify needs that are so great that even the meddling and obstruction of governments can't stop our eventual success?

Climate collapse is one of those needs, because it threatens every person on the planet regardless of any individual government or their cronies.

What are your thoughts?

Patrick
 

UKPat

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I'm not sure why you've chosen climate change. It's always been changing. And I see all the flack right now as a way to dig deeper into my pocket, by those who really don't produce anything but tax bills...

Hi WJK,

I sense some notes of pessimism, but why let these things stop us?

--
Re: Climate Change:

The climate changes anyway, which is true enough in the long term.

And yet why not try and prolong our time on this earth for our families and kids given all the current seriously adverse climate events we're seeing globally which are making all our lives harder?

Thankfully I don't live anywhere that suffers severe hurricanes and storms each year, with all the associated flooding and wind damage to mess up my home and businesses. Luckily I also don't live in an area that suffers severe drought today (when even a few years ago it didn't).

I'd imagine that there's nothing like arid fields and no food to lift the human spirit, and I imagine there's plenty of reports from business outlets globally that share stories from producers about how their lives have been negatively impacted by droughts.

How many adverse weather events in your home and businesses do you need to experience before you become concerned with climate issues? Would the cost of a flood, storm or forest fire wiping out your business be enough to get your attention? What about learning from others around the world, rather than waiting before our own homes and businesses are damaged locally before taking action?

Why not be entrepreneurial, and make money out of the green industry yourself too, regardless of the 'facts' or necessity?

--
Re: Taxes being a factor which could prevent an entrepreneur from entering an industry:

Even if governments and businesses do tax us (as they do), the issue of the survival of the human race due to severe climate events and species collapse is a separate issue.

Thus besides from issues of tax and freedom from government control, is our survival on this earth not worth noting and trying to do something about now as an entrepreneur?

Are you such a freedom fighter that you'd turn down the chance to set up and own a monopoly providing some government mandated 'green' services or technology? What better way to become a Fastlane Entrepreneur than by owning a business selling green products and services which governments legislate as being mandatory worldwide?

Take again for example the plastic bag tax which some people think is a bad thing.

No one likes being taxed, myself included. However;

Think back to the last time you tried eating plastic, perhaps a plastic utensil or straw in a fast food place, then consider whether you really want that stuff entering into every food chain on the planet? We can't eat plastic, so why are we happy with it being all over our foods, and in our food chains?

Tax is an effective way to reduce the use of something, so why wouldn't a government use the tools available to them to prevent poisonous materials entering our food chain?

Does it reduce your liberty? Perhaps slightly, but who cares if we all get to live longer. It's not the same as being locked up, so maybe have a bit of perspective here!

--
Control by our masters - the UN / EU / US Federal Govt. / Illuminati / Reptillians / Anunnaki etc.

Maybe they do control us to an extent, but not so tightly that we don't have individual agency in our daily lives and actions throughout life, or that change can't happen if we do things individually.

Show me any empire commanded by elites at the top, and I'll show you an empire that changed over time because of the actions of individuals at the bottom who made decisions contrary to the wellbeing of that empire undermining its very power.

Here's the crux.

Like computers in the 70ies and 80ies. If you're in the right growth industry, all the boats rise with the tide. Green solutions are a new growth industry.

Go forth and prosper!

Patrick
 

UKPat

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The complete list of faltering or bankrupt green-energy companies:
Evergreen Solar ($25 million)*
SpectraWatt ($500,000)*
Solyndra ($535 million)*
Beacon Power ($43 million)*
Nevada Geothermal ($98.5 million)
SunPower ($1.2 billion)
First Solar ($1.46 billion)
Babcock and Brown ($178 million)
EnerDel’s subsidiary Ener1 ($118.5 million)*
Amonix ($5.9 million)
Fisker Automotive ($529 million)
Abound Solar ($400 million)*
A123 Systems ($279 million)*
Willard and Kelsey Solar Group ($6 million)*
Johnson Controls ($299 million)
Schneider Electric ($86 million)
Brightsource ($1.6 billion)
ECOtality ($126.2 million)
Raser Technologies ($33 million)*
Energy Conversion Devices ($13.3 million)*
Mountain Plaza, Inc. ($2 million)*
Olsen’s Crop Service and Olsen’s Mills Acquisition Company ($10 million)*
Range Fuels ($80 million)*
Thompson River Power ($6.5 million)*
Stirling Energy Systems ($7 million)*
Azure Dynamics ($5.4 million)*
GreenVolts ($500,000)
Vestas ($50 million)
LG Chem’s subsidiary Compact Power ($151 million)
Nordic Windpower ($16 million)*
Navistar ($39 million)
Satcon ($3 million)*
Konarka Technologies Inc. ($20 million)*
Mascoma Corp. ($100 million)
***Add to the fact that you need to bribe politicians to get into this industry.

Interesting list, if somewhat sobering!

Can you also write a complete list of faltering or bankrupt oil and nuclear companies, or successful ones that didn't need to bribe governments and kill people to ensure profitability?

There are surely plenty of examples in every industry of failed and failing businesses, and yet some survive and thrive.

Just because there are dead things all around us, doesn't mean we're still not living.

There's a wealth of opportunities in the green space, some of them infinitely smaller and easier to capitalise upon than becoming a green energy supplier.

As some of the other posters have mentioned here, making an existing practice or product greener is already a good start.

Based on my response to WJK above, I'd be inclined to find opportunities where the legislation is in your favour, bringing with it the possibility of investment too. Legislation creates a false need… aka 'compliance'. As MJ says in his book, business must serve a need to thrive.

Lots of food for thought here, I'm glad I saw this thread pop up in my email today!

Patrick
 
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TheCj

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Hi TheCj,

I know you've recognised that even a 10-15% drop would be helpful, and I'd also add the following:

We all have the power to influence people, both on the individual level and the global level.

America has enormous weight when negotiating trade deals, and if it mandated greener standards, their trading partners would follow suit in time.

A message for all of us here - don't let the futility of any individual actions you can make stop you from doing the right thing now.

For example:

If you were drowning in a lake, but someone stopped to fish you out to safety, would you think 'heck, there's 7.7 billion people on this planet, it wouldn't really matter if one of them died prematurely by drowning today', or would you just be glad that the person took individual action (no matter how small) and saved your a$$ from drowning?


Individual Entrepreneurs Have Power:

We have a surprising level of power as an individual, and the impact we can make if we become an influencer goes beyond what we'd imagine initially.

We can influence people profoundly, so how will you use your power?

We can influence our friends and families, our customers and our suppliers. We can influence our governments through votes, bribes and violence, and our trading partners too.

Our choices and actions cumulatively amount to something noticeable over time, like the number of tonnes of plastic bags NOT thrown into the environment since the introduction of the plastic bag tax in the UK recently.

Did the plastic bag tax in the UK hurt plastic bag manufacturers? Undoubtedly, yes.

Did they have the foresight to prepare for such an eventuality impacting their business by diversifying their product range, e.g. reusable bags?

Who knows, but if they didn't then, they I could care less if they suffered as a business. If they didn't do a PESTLE analysis and act accordingly, their loss of profit is entirely their own fault.

If we put commercial and political pressure on the governments of the world, then in time we will change the current status quo from the shitshow that is global politics today.

There are untold examples of local pressure and individual actions influencing politics, I'm sure you can think of a few yourself.

Remember that leading by example is always more powerful in bringing about change than pointing a finger at others and shifting the responsibility to them. Just because others are doing a bad thing, it doesn't mean we shouldn't raise our own game when we know it's the right thing to do.

We have personal agency and power, shouldn't we use it wisely to make the world a better place in our Fastlane journeys?

Patrick

Of course, I'm just pointing out the reality of the situation.. Just because some people care to live to a certain standard doesn't mean everyone else does..
 

ExaltedLife

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Hi ExaltedLife,

Does your house literally need to be on fire before you decide (based on the evidence) that taking action is a good idea?

Only trolls and shills demand evidence incessantly, the more enlightened amongst us (like you and me) can see potential problems before they materialise fully and cause us all problems.

I'm sure you can recall a time when some form of pre-emptive thinking saved you or someone you know from serious pain and injury?

Ever had fillings at the dentist? Is it a conspiracy that dentists the world over are trying to make money, or do we all need to have a severe toothache to learn that preventative dental care is a good thing (even if it's expensive)?

Likewise, we can think of fire-retardant treated soft-furnishings.

Fire regulations have certainly been 'forced' upon us by the governments of the world, but yet they have saved lives in the process. Perhaps we should go and burn ourselves with some matches before we start crying about the loss of liberty that our governments have caused by forcing all these fire regs on us?

Did we need to see the evidence before we purchase a device with safety precautions built in, or are we thankful that they're here already so we don't get harmed by accident?

Maybe instead of cleverly (lazily?) saying 'show me the evidence', we should all resort to common sense and seek to avoid what could be a problem before it becomes a problem.

Remember that 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'.

How many days do you need to be cold and hungry before you agree that climate collapse isn't a good thing for humans?

And another thing…

Given that in this day and age of fake news, why should we even trust what an 'expert' says any more?

If a person believes that the authors of a report have an ulterior motive or dark agenda (which is impossible to disprove), then regardless of the veracity of the report, they'll still deny all the facts contained within, purely out of their own personal denial or agendas.

While I've every confidence that you're merely being inquisitive in good faith based on your other posts on the forum, I do wonder what your agenda may be when questioning climate science rather than just taking action?

Exactly how many floods, droughts, fires, hurricanes and out-of-season weather events do you need to experience yourself (or read about in the news) before you think it's odd that the climate is now routinely different than it used to be? Why do we have the hottest, wettest, coldest and driest months on record every month now, often out of season?

The economic impacts of the various hurricanes in the States is a good example of adverse climate events. We're entrepreneurs seeking to make mega bucks. Adverse climate events cause businesses problems the world over. As entrepreneurs, it's in our direct interests to take action in this area of concern.

If we're here to make money, why not make money from keeping the planet alive without questioning too deeply whether climate change is true or not? As long as there's a market, isn't that a green light to cash in?

Are some people worried that there's some global conspiracy at play here surrounding climate change, that will prevent the free thought and free activities of people globally? Frankly who cares when the cost of ignoring all these seriously negative climate events is becoming greater and greater with each passing year?

I reckon the real damage to our personal freedoms and liberties come from the existing vested interests of those who are in cahoots with global governments already. Examples include state backed industries like oil and arms profiteering massively at the expense of individuals the world over. Such industries could give a damn about the survival of the earth long term (but don't).

On the grander scale, why not be proactive instead of reactive about a problem that is causing problems for people every day? Sounds just like a problem worth solving (that people will gladly pay for).

--


Perfectly stated.


You wrote an entire page of platitudes to tell me that I should not require evidence before I 'believe' you?

LOL


There will be blood - Church healing scene
 

Maxboost

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When we personally suffer, maybe we'll understand why people have been freaking out since the 60ies about this stuff?

Remind yourself what it feels like to suffer from dehydration and lack of access to clean drinking water (even for 1 day)

These alarmists of the 60's killed 30 million people in 3rd world countries by banning DDT which could have prevented malaria.

If people like the OP are trying to make life healthier and more sustainable, that's a good thing. We could be applauding them and supporting them in their efforts.

This is an entrepreneurship forum and it is brutally honest. I want to cure cancer but guess what, I know jack shit about biology. Energy and effort should be focused on what you are good at. The OP says he is a good day trader, now he wants to solve climate change? Do you know how non-sensical that is?

Climate collapse is one of those needs, because it threatens every person on the planet regardless of any individual government or their cronies.


People for Bernie on Twitter

Here's Bernie Sanders fear mongering children about Global warming since 1980's.

And for your information, here are actual climate scientists showing there is no reason to be alarmed. The Earth was warmer for the past 4 billion years.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqejXs7XgsU




Can you also write a complete list of faltering or bankrupt oil and nuclear companies, or successful ones that didn't need to bribe governments and kill people to ensure profitability?

There are surely plenty of examples in every industry of failed and failing businesses, and yet some survive and thrive.

If you actually researched the climate issue, you would have known that green energy cannot be stored, making these companies TERRIBLE business ideas. They were doomed to fail from the start.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Guys this isn't a debate on climate change...

Whether it is TRUE or NOT, the concept of sustainability and environmental shifts in perceptions (reality or not) still represents an opportunity. The #1 problem in the world? Sure, that is debatable. Nonetheless, there are big audiences for it.
 

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Of course, I'm just pointing out the reality of the situation.. Just because some people care to live to a certain standard doesn't mean everyone else does..

Very true, and in some cases, sadly true.

We do have agency, and hence I encourage us all to make a difference where we can.


--
You wrote an entire page of platitudes to tell me that I should not require evidence before I 'believe' you?

Hi ExaltedLife,

Requiring 100% peer reviewed evidence for every decision in life is one way to stall time and do nothing, often when action is needed. Therefore, rightly or wrongly, many people make decisions every day with zero evidence, purely on faith.

To answer your question, yes, there are occasions when it would be wise to act without seeing evidence first.

Continuing the burning building analogy, you're on the top floor of a large building when the fire alarm goes off. There's no signs of smoke or flames, and no scheduled fire alarm test. Do you need to see smoke and flames before making an exit, or do you pre-emptively take action and exit the building?

Tragically for the residents of Grenfell Tower in London, many that ignored the alarms and stayed put lost their lives.

How much evidence would a person need before taking action on something? Clearly it varies depending on the context.

--

Returning to the original topic of the post, the OP sees an opportunity in a space I believe on faith is worth pursuing. I'm willing to make a faith based judgement here about the value of tackling climate change and species collapse because I see a limited downside to getting it wrong.

This is not the same as doing it because we 'should', or because we're 'good at it' etc. As pointed out in the Fastlane book, evidence of a market should be sought before making leaps of faith.

The whole Lean Startup mantra is do small tests and invest proportionally based on the available evidence, so you're right to call for evidence on some level.

What are your thoughts on the OPs situation?

How much evidence, and what forms of evidence would you advise to gather before making an investment decision?


--
These alarmists of the 60's killed 30 million people in 3rd world countries by banning DDT which could have prevented malaria.
Hi Maxboost,

I'll fully admit that I wasn't aware of what DDT actually was until you responded to my comment today. After further reading it seems you're right that it could save millions of lives.

I'm unsure where the greater value would have been, in saving those lives or protecting the living things which survived as a result of not having DDT sprayed upon them?

If it's also as toxic as is claimed to all other life forms, (plants and humans included), then there's no easy answer regarding it's use. Killing one thing for the sake of saving another is one of those grey areas that will never be conclusively agreed upon or resolved.

I suppose the ideal would be to find a way to combat such maladies minus the downsides of chemicals like DDT. As researchers, inventors, entrepreneurs and policy makers, over time I'm certain we can move towards such solutions.

As entrepreneurs, if we can profit from helping the world move in that direction, despite the difficulties in doing so, then why wouldn't we?

For me there is more to life than money alone. While there are definitely better ways to profit than green solutions, they're not always supportive of an overall good life imo. For example, if I sell crack, then I have to ask do I want to be surrounded by a community of crackheads? Does that represent a good life to me? No it doesn't.

I'd rather sell them a fish and the fish net.


--
This is an entrepreneurship forum and it is brutally honest. I want to cure cancer but guess what, I know jack shit about biology. Energy and effort should be focused on what you are good at. The OP says he is a good day trader, now he wants to solve climate change? Do you know how non-sensical that is?

Good point about using one's skills and energy to support the business rather than wasting effort on learning everything from scratch.

I suppose without knowing the opportunities the OP sees then we also don't know whether their skills will easily transfer into the new domain they propose to enter.

If the OP's new business solves a small but easily solvable need, then the OP may well be able to make the transition easily given their existing skills, connections and resources.

Furthermore, occasionally people bring insights and innovations from one industry into another, leading to surprising results and big breakthroughs within the new industry. A rather tame example is the 'subscription' model borrowed from the traditional print industry, where now we have SaaS, Dollar Shave Club, timeshare businesses etc.

There's surely other examples you can think of too, which would be interesting to learn about if you're willing to share them?


--
People for Bernie on Twitter
Here's Bernie Sanders fear mongering children about Global warming since 1980's.
And for your information, here are actual climate scientists showing there is no reason to be alarmed. The Earth was warmer for the past 4 billion years.
View:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqejXs7XgsU

That's an interesting video, thanks for sharing it.

They have a point, up to a point, although there's more to consider as this is a multifactorial situation.

My view is that keeping the climate as stable as possible is a good thing, regardless of whether it's needed given the history of the planet or not.

For example, certain crops grow well in certain climates. In addition to needing the right conditions to grow food (essential for our current survival), having a stable crop production is generally good for business.

I liked some of the other comments on YouTube for that video too.

They pointed out issues around control, tax and making money etc.

If we're all Fastlane Entrepreneurs, it's a given that we want to make money. It just becomes becomes a question of how.

There are people who sell weapons (which generally serve to kill things), and there are people who find more ethical sustainable ways to make a profit.

While it is undoubtedly true that the whole climate change industry, and even the larger 'green' industry of which climate change is a subset, have multiple agendas. Making money is definitely one of them.

As an entrepreneur, I feel no shame in my desire to profit, certainly if that profit comes from businesses where the impact on other people and the environment is low.

I do however take issue with highly polluting industries, and one's predicated on killing or incarcerating others. We only have to suffer the effects of those types of industries for a short while to see the merit in taking alternative, less harmful approaches in life and business.


--
If you actually researched the climate issue, you would have known that green energy cannot be stored, making these companies TERRIBLE business ideas. They were doomed to fail from the start.

You're right, I haven't done much research into green energy generation, so I'll admit this right away.

Discussing this here with you guys is an education for me too, and I'm open to hearing what has been said on the current downsides of the green industry.

The green industry has plenty of opportunities for profit none the less, even if it isn't focused on solely sustainable energy generation and storage. Making existing polluting processes less polluting is an example that's already been raised in this thread.

Further R&D will eventually yield breakthroughs. As a business entity, if you can get funding to do R&D, that's great.

For instance we can store energy using gravity stores, such as water pumped to a higher location. Or we can compress air, and use the compressed air stream to drive a turbine etc. Additional research and innovation in the area will increase the efficacy of such methods.

Even if such methods aren't 100% efficient, in some applications they still have advantages over chemical batteries or the more polluting fuel types.

Yes, nothing is perfect. There will always be downsides to each thing that is done, and issues to be resolved. That's life.

Meanwhile, I'd rather see a shift towards a healthier more sustainable planet, with less pollutants overall.

Any thoughts on areas of the green industry that the OP and others could explore?
 

ExaltedLife

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Very true, and in some cases, sadly true.

We do have agency, and hence I encourage us all to make a difference where we can.


--


Hi ExaltedLife,

Requiring 100% peer reviewed evidence for every decision in life is one way to stall time and do nothing, often when action is needed. Therefore, rightly or wrongly, many people make decisions every day with zero evidence, purely on faith.

To answer your question, yes, there are occasions when it would be wise to act without seeing evidence first.

Continuing the burning building analogy, you're on the top floor of a large building when the fire alarm goes off. There's no signs of smoke or flames, and no scheduled fire alarm test. Do you need to see smoke and flames before making an exit, or do you pre-emptively take action and exit the building?

Tragically for the residents of Grenfell Tower in London, many that ignored the alarms and stayed put lost their lives.

How much evidence would a person need before taking action on something? Clearly it varies depending on the context.

--

Returning to the original topic of the post, the OP sees an opportunity in a space I believe on faith is worth pursuing. I'm willing to make a faith based judgement here about the value of tackling climate change and species collapse because I see a limited downside to getting it wrong.

This is not the same as doing it because we 'should', or because we're 'good at it' etc. As pointed out in the Fastlane book, evidence of a market should be sought before making leaps of faith.

The whole Lean Startup mantra is do small tests and invest proportionally based on the available evidence, so you're right to call for evidence on some level.

What are your thoughts on the OPs situation?

How much evidence, and what forms of evidence would you advise to gather before making an investment decision?


--

Hi Maxboost,

I'll fully admit that I wasn't aware of what DDT actually was until you responded to my comment today. After further reading it seems you're right that it could save millions of lives.

I'm unsure where the greater value would have been, in saving those lives or protecting the living things which survived as a result of not having DDT sprayed upon them?

If it's also as toxic as is claimed to all other life forms, (plants and humans included), then there's no easy answer regarding it's use. Killing one thing for the sake of saving another is one of those grey areas that will never be conclusively agreed upon or resolved.

I suppose the ideal would be to find a way to combat such maladies minus the downsides of chemicals like DDT. As researchers, inventors, entrepreneurs and policy makers, over time I'm certain we can move towards such solutions.

As entrepreneurs, if we can profit from helping the world move in that direction, despite the difficulties in doing so, then why wouldn't we?

For me there is more to life than money alone. While there are definitely better ways to profit than green solutions, they're not always supportive of an overall good life imo. For example, if I sell crack, then I have to ask do I want to be surrounded by a community of crackheads? Does that represent a good life to me? No it doesn't.

I'd rather sell them a fish and the fish net.


--


Good point about using one's skills and energy to support the business rather than wasting effort on learning everything from scratch.

I suppose without knowing the opportunities the OP sees then we also don't know whether their skills will easily transfer into the new domain they propose to enter.

If the OP's new business solves a small but easily solvable need, then the OP may well be able to make the transition easily given their existing skills, connections and resources.

Furthermore, occasionally people bring insights and innovations from one industry into another, leading to surprising results and big breakthroughs within the new industry. A rather tame example is the 'subscription' model borrowed from the traditional print industry, where now we have SaaS, Dollar Shave Club, timeshare businesses etc.

There's surely other examples you can think of too, which would be interesting to learn about if you're willing to share them?


--


That's an interesting video, thanks for sharing it.

They have a point, up to a point, although there's more to consider as this is a multifactorial situation.

My view is that keeping the climate as stable as possible is a good thing, regardless of whether it's needed given the history of the planet or not.

For example, certain crops grow well in certain climates. In addition to needing the right conditions to grow food (essential for our current survival), having a stable crop production is generally good for business.

I liked some of the other comments on YouTube for that video too.

They pointed out issues around control, tax and making money etc.

If we're all Fastlane Entrepreneurs, it's a given that we want to make money. It just becomes becomes a question of how.

There are people who sell weapons (which generally serve to kill things), and there are people who find more ethical sustainable ways to make a profit.

While it is undoubtedly true that the whole climate change industry, and even the larger 'green' industry of which climate change is a subset, have multiple agendas. Making money is definitely one of them.

As an entrepreneur, I feel no shame in my desire to profit, certainly if that profit comes from businesses where the impact on other people and the environment is low.

I do however take issue with highly polluting industries, and one's predicated on killing or incarcerating others. We only have to suffer the effects of those types of industries for a short while to see the merit in taking alternative, less harmful approaches in life and business.


--


You're right, I haven't done much research into green energy generation, so I'll admit this right away.

Discussing this here with you guys is an education for me too, and I'm open to hearing what has been said on the current downsides of the green industry.

The green industry has plenty of opportunities for profit none the less, even if it isn't focused on solely sustainable energy generation and storage. Making existing polluting processes less polluting is an example that's already been raised in this thread.

Further R&D will eventually yield breakthroughs. As a business entity, if you can get funding to do R&D, that's great.

For instance we can store energy using gravity stores, such as water pumped to a higher location. Or we can compress air, and use the compressed air stream to drive a turbine etc. Additional research and innovation in the area will increase the efficacy of such methods.

Even if such methods aren't 100% efficient, in some applications they still have advantages over chemical batteries or the more polluting fuel types.

Yes, nothing is perfect. There will always be downsides to each thing that is done, and issues to be resolved. That's life.

Meanwhile, I'd rather see a shift towards a healthier more sustainable planet, with less pollutants overall.

Any thoughts on areas of the green industry that the OP and others could explore?

TLDR
 
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ExaltedLife

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On the other side of the coin, here is an Objectivist philosopher who created his own business; going to bat for the oil companies against climate alarmists.


How to be a climate thinker - Alex Epstein at Turning Point USA


@Kak If you haven't heard of this guy you might be interested. He wrote a book called The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.

Perhaps his best quote in this speech is: "Nature doesn't give us a safe climate that we make dangerous. Nature gives us a dangerous climate that we make safe".
 
Last edited:

UKPat

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On the other side of the coin, here is an Objectivist philosopher who created his own business; going to bat for the oil companies against climate alarmists.


How to be a climate thinker - Alex Epstein at Turning Point USA

Excellent video, definitely made me see I'm one of what Alex would call a climate scientologist.

I have a clear and open agenda, make the world greener and profit from it. For me that's a win/win.

I'd more or less support anything in the green realm on principle unless there were really strong points to suggest it wasn't a good course of action, e.g. it was massively inefficient and not fit for purpose or not profitable.

My view may change in time, as I learn more about the world and people share knowledge and insights with me.

@Kak If you haven't heard of this guy you might be interested. He wrote a book called The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.

I may well buy it just to be contrarian to myself, and make me think.
 
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My take on the 'climate change' market is that it is one spearheaded by media talking points, botched data, fixed options and futures trading, hungry scientific academics chasing grants, and hypocritical political 'prophets' used as pretext for increased government and tax control.

That being said, I do believe sustainability, being 'green' and being a good steward of our land and resources are growing markets; nobody wants to breathe contaminated air, drink dirty water or live in a polluted wasteland. There is a wide spectrum of industries that work within these areas, from providing more biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning solvents to engineering consulting in order to minimize energy consumption in an office building.

So instead of focusing on 'climate change', maybe the focus should be on the products, services and/or industries which address sustainability and environmental stewardship in our day-to-day lives. You will see that, as with most markets, the options and opportunities for value-contributing are almost limitless.
 

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Wow. There's a lot of skepticism on here about climate change.

I used to be a skeptic too but am definitely more of a believer these days.

We can't keep polluting the air, water and land at the levels we are and not expect a reaction from our ecosystem.

Is it a way for some areas of government or other entities to get more money out of the masses? Yes, absolutely. But that doesn't mean it's not happening.

If I were looking to get into the "climate change business" I would look at:

Clean energy systems
Micro generation
Nuclear fusion
Plastic replacement - especially packaging - paper bags anyone?

I am generally skeptical when it comes to vested interest groups touting their beliefs, like the oil industry saying we will run out (scarcity tactics) or big pharma being unable to cure diseases when it's far more profitable to treat people long term - but that's just me being and old suspicious type!

Much if the skepticism exists due to the incredibly overblown, dramatic level of theatrics attached to the movement - cue Alexandria Ocasio Cortez claiming the world will end in 12 years - nobody is denying that what we do to the environment is very bad, and we should be investing in alternative energies, plastics, etc, etc - but the way that certain segments of society are trying to push towards this is cause for real alarm.

Why are they pushing towards this? What is the net benefit for them?

Without delving into a political discussion, if you investigate the main players in the climate scientist lobby groups, and deep dive into their funding sources, a lot of very interesting links come up.
 

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Much if the skepticism exists due to the incredibly overblown, dramatic level of theatrics attached to the movement - cue Alexandria Ocasio Cortez claiming the world will end in 12 years - nobody is denying that what we do to the environment is very bad, and we should be investing in alternative energies, plastics, etc, etc - but the way that certain segments of society are trying to push towards this is cause for real alarm.

Why are they pushing towards this? What is the net benefit for them?

Without delving into a political discussion, if you investigate the main players in the climate scientist lobby groups, and deep dive into their funding sources, a lot of very interesting links come up.

The net benefit for me personally is the peace of mind that comes from knowing we've done our best to avert future pain or disaster. Others may have different agendas such as money or power?

I'm not bothered if people have an agenda to make money when the thing they profit from still provides value to the world.

Think of selling expensive fire alarms and safety systems. Overpriced? Maybe. Strictly necessary? Probably not. Does it provide a benefit in case of an emergency? Yes.

Hence even with occasionally murky financial arrangements backing the lead players, if a net benefit is provided, why be alarmed when people push towards a good cause?

As you say, most people don't deny what we're doing to the environment is bad, and we could be investing in (and profiting from) alternatives.

A lot of the time, the thing which people push for is self evident, and yet still collectively we ignore it. It's like the people on this planet have a blindness, and only a few are bold enough to say anything contrary to the masses who prefer laziness and social conformity to the challenge of solving the problems at hand.

From a business perspective, single use items with planned obsolescence are good as they drives sales. If that causes our early demise, I'd hope we'd all have the courage to change the system to be more sustainable. Instead, I sense that most people would rather suffer the tragedy of the commons due to collective indifference and concerns about people's funding sources or political agendas. Why does that even matter if our very lives are at stake?

Patrick
 
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Going back to business models, creating sustainable loops in systems is another potential revenue source.

Some newer engines have waste energy recapture built into them, making them far more efficient than earlier iterations. Newer tanker boat engines and bus engines are examples of this.

Using the waste product of one process as the input for another process is also an example, so there's money in spotting where waste products can be a cheap input for your own products. Public benches made from old car tires come to mind. Garages have to pay to get rid of the tires, and also have a plentiful supply due to road safety regulations.

Are there more examples of similar loops and recapture systems that you've observed?
 

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