If you’re the parent of a teen, you’ve been hearing a lot about the enormous amount of time kids are spending with social media. One study estimates that teens are spending an average of one hour and 50 minutes per day, on social media alone.
Now EPA’s Energy Star has teamed up with virtual world Meez and non-profit DoSomething.org to leverage the power of that trend. The result: a Facebook social game called eMission that encourages teens to take offline actions to help save energy and reduce their carbon footprint.

The Economist Magazine concludes its recent 14-page special report “It’s a Smart World” (read the intro here) with a look at reasons why people fear smart systems.
Number one on the list of unintended consequences is, of course, loss of privacy and increased government surveillance. We’ve known for some time that every action we take online leaves a digital footprint. Now, even our offline actions will be traced, thanks to smart systems.

Last week we blogged about The Economist Magazine’s recent special report on smart systems (read the intro here). The report examines some of the barriers to an increasingly smart world.
No doubt you’re familiar with the technological hurdles (cost, antiquated IP address system, fear of hack attacks, etc).

More great learning on day two of the Behavior, Energy & Climate Change (BECC) conference in Sacramento, including the best presentation of the conference.
That honor goes to Col. Robert J. Charette, Jr., director of the year-old Expeditionary Energy, United States Marine Corps. Col. Charette's mission is all about using renewable energy and energy efficiency on the battlefield, not to save money or energy or the environment, but to save lives. Too many Marines are killed or wounded working the supply lines, bringing water and fuel to the front. By reducing the demand at the front lines, fewer Marines are targets of the enemy while working the supply chain.

This year's rendition of the Behavior, Energy & Climate Change conference, in sunny and balmy Sacramento, is off to a solid start.
Here's what's sticking for me...

Last week’s Economist (November 8, 2010) includes a 14-page special report on smart systems. “It’s a Smart World” (read the intro here) provides a snapshot view of smart system growth worldwide.
Smart technologies touch everything from phones to oil exploration, and from power grids to city management. In today’s world, anyone and anything can become a sensor, with enormous potential impacts upon industry and the very ways that people live their lives.

When it comes to home energy choices and consumption, consumers might believe that their behavior is based upon high-minded motives, such as concern for the environment. Or maybe behavior is based on practical concerns: money, budgets, value.
But psychologists and behavioral economists say that consumer behavior boils down to something more fundamental. Good old-fashioned peer pressure.

Nothing To Hide
The Power of Ethics in the Age of Social Media

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE.org) has released its annual scorecard comparing states’ policies, documenting best practices, and recognizing leadership among the states. The Scorecard encourages states to continue to raise the bar in their efficiency commitments.
California stayed in the number one spot for the fourth year in a row, with Massachusetts running a close second.

The use of renewable energy not only benefits consumers and business owners. The U.S. Department of Defense is aggressively pursuing renewable energy, as well.
Military leaders are supporting renewable energy technologies because of increased security and energy independence concerns. According to Joe Sikes, director of Facilities Energy for the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, renewable energy sources make the military less vulnerable to attacks. For instance, mobile solar and wind generators may one day replace fuel trucks that are frequent targets of attack.