In his column in yesterday's Columbian, AWB president Don Brunell looks at the role of profits in green industry.
Regardless of how it is marketed, the green economy works best when greenbacks are associated with it. There is nothing wrong with making a buck by saving energy, cutting down on raw materials going into manufacturing, or simply using less. In fact, it's an idea we all should embrace.
He looks at the return of the conservation ethic and the financial benefits of smart energy use.
The latest example is Costco. Earlier this year, the Issaquah-based retail giant announced it will begin installing large solar arrays on the roofs of its stores in California and Hawaii. The one in Kona is the largest solar array in Hawaii. These installations cost $750,000 each, but Costco will make the money back in three to five years.
Yet, he says, public policy lags behind, emphasizing command-and-control regulation rather than incentives.
Instead of supporting these efforts, many elected officials and agencies are getting in the way by imposing mandates, restrictions and punitive regulations to achieve our conservation goals.
The best thing government can do is to remove barriers to innovation and let it happen. The simple fact is, no government mandate can replace market-based incentives that allow people to make a profit.
