Van Pools Blog

Van-Pool.com asked David Kates, Alternativeenergy.com expert and journalist, a few questions:

How did you get so involved in this topic and how did it become
your passion?

I was lucky growing up to have a number of experiences with the outdoors, particularly in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and Hawaiian Islands.  As an adult, I started to see the connection between energy use and the well-being of our environment.  One of my focuses as a University of Southern California journalism student was environmental reporting on such issues as recycling in South Africa and polluted beaches from storm run-off in Los Angeles.  At AlternativeEnergy.com, I’ve been able to report on important issues like public transportation and ride sharing, which are essential components in conserving energy.

What kind of response are you getting from your listeners?

The listenership for our 15 Energy Experts Live radio shows has been steadily growing as we get the word out on green Web sites and blogs.

What has generated the most response from you listeners?

Many of our listeners and readers own renewable energy businesses.  They’ve been particularly concerned about the uncertainty of the federal renewable energy Investment Tax Credits.  (These were approved as part of the Wall Street bailout bill last week.)  Listeners also love to debate the Presidential candidates’ energy plans.

Obviously, the government can do a lot to get people to conserve energy and use renewable resources, what can the typical person to do drive measurable results and pull his/her own weight?

Some people will not conserve energy and use alternative energy sources without laws and financial incentives passed by government.  But it’s easy to forget that many individual actions can make a difference.  So don’t wait for government.  You can drive an efficient, low-emissions car; ride share and take public transportation;  put solar panels or a wind turbine on your house; buy green power from your utility; and purchase energy-conserving appliances.

What does being “green” mean to you?

Being “green” means understanding one’s place in the world and one’s impact on it.  All of us have an impact on the Earth whether we like it or not.  The key is to learn from prior mistakes from the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath.  We know how to live sustainably, and we have the technology to do so.  We just need the commitment.

Are you optimistic about the future?

Reporting for AlternativeEnergy.com, I can’t help but be optimistic about the future.  Organizations are inventing and improving upon clean sources of energy every day.  And the people in the sustainability field have incredible passion for what they do.  They believe that they’re doing their small part to save the world.  This is a very invigorating concept.

What does the future look like to you? What have we always done recently that will seem totally foreign to future generations?

The other day, I was standing on the sidewalk next to a major road in Los Angeles watching the traffic pass by.  I thought, “What are we doing burning long-dead dinosaurs?”  Not long after, I was thinking the same thing as I inhaled diesel fumes from a truck.  We could be so much more progressive with our energy choices.

There are intermediate steps.  I drive a compressed natural gas Honda Civic.  Natural gas is still a fossil fuel, but it contains less carbon than regular gas or diesel.  There are a number of vans, trucks and buses today running on natural gas.

But electricity generated from clean sources is the ultimate transportation fuel, according to most of the energy experts I speak with.  There are no tailpipe emissions.  We just need to work on dependable, longer range batteries and a convenient charging/battery replacement infrastructure.  Biofuels and hydrogen will contribute to our fuel mix, as well.

We have found that many commuters are initially attracted to vanpooling and carpooling because of cost savings, but later find that the social and environmental benefits outweigh the cost savings? Does that surprise you?

It’s clear to me that being green saves green.  I think this will become more true as the renewable energy industry strengthens as the customer base increases.  Prices for alternative energy and efficient technology will come down.  Most people vote with their wallets.  If it saves them money, they’ll do it.  And I think traditional energy sources will continue to get more expensive, especially as cap and trade schemes become the norm.  Greener technology will make sense for utilities, corporations and their customers.  The social and environmental benefits of this transition are tremendous.

Any last words for our van-pools.com readership?

Congratulations!  Ride sharers are ahead of the curve.  This industry will be growing leaps and bounds for some time.