What does "GREEN" mean to the Dayton Region? Give your thoughts.

[David Williams]

We would like governmental bodies, businesses and regional residents to give ideas on what a green community is to them.

[Leonard Pohlar]

Dave, I personally see this like an independent doctor following the Hippocratic Oath - Heal the sick - BUT first do no harm. I need to be aware of who I am, where I am and what I can do to further my goals in life - BUT I must also be aware of the effect my actions might have to do harm beyond that which I control. An obvious "patient" here is the environment, but I would also add the negative effects of energy dependence and its effects on world stability. My personal interest is in Green Living for the environment but also Green Living for energy independence - foremost Independence from energy induced foreign conflict, but also from from heavy handed federal/state/local politics and from centralized functions like utilities and regulatory bodies that prevent me from making my own decisions about how I choose to "live green". Living Green is the balance that makes all this possible in a sustainable way. --- The community I live in must therefore empower me to make and implement these decisions by giving me options from which I can choose. I love the concept of the smart grid and decentralized generation of alternative electrical energy via, PV, wind, etc as well as geothermal (which I now have) and co-generation options (CHP - combined heat and power) onsite. With options available to me and a green living philosophy ("first do not harm") to guide my decisions, I can then optimize my personal contribution to the green community. If the government or utility decides what my options are and what they are not, then I have a problem with getting on board. --- Just some thoughts in too many words!!

[Roger Hummel]

What does "green" mean to the Dayton area? OPPORTUNITY!! We all know that throughout history in the times of economic downturn, in times of war, and in times of stress and uncertainty, that is when the creative juices start to flow and that is when the survival instinct kicks in. Let's face it, when we all had nice secure jobs and business was booming, it was easy to be complacent and lazy, and we were so busy making and spending money we didn't have the time or the need to be creative.
This year, especially in the Dayton area with its high saturation of the automotive industry, it is almost the "perfect storm" for opportunity. Consider these negative factors: high unemployment, empty manufacturing buildings, a decreasing tax base, and abandoned foreclosed properties. But add into the mix the current change in attitude toward alternative energy and those negatives become positives. With tax incentives, programs to create new markets, local colleges with the highest enrollment ever, tech town, business incubators, the Wright Pat connections and above all, the PEOPLE, we can only go up. Look at all of the grass roots organizations in the Dayton area that are dedicated to sustainability. Almost every level of government from townships on up are exploring green energy. Do we need help and still have a long way to go? You bet. Do we need programs like in Germany to make this growth happen? Maybe not exactly, but we do need a better mechanism between the homeowner and the utility than the present so-called net metering system, ways to address the high initial costs of alternative energy systems and also ways that non-home owners (renters) can participate.
We are on the cusp of the next big change. Starting with the dawn of mankind, all the way to the present, man's time on earth has been marked by defining moments of progress. We are now going back to the beginning, full circle, drawing on the original energy sources of solar, wind and the elements, but we are now able to utilize them in ways never before possible. We need to redefine the term fossil fuels and make them what fossils are, a relic from the past. And, like with the airplane, computers and automotive, Dayton should lead the way.