John Doerr might not be the first person you think of when you make a list of environmental activists. He is better known as a "money man" in Silicon Valley, where he invested in big companies like Amazon and Google.
But Doerr is also passionate about saving the planet. He and his business colleagues have spent a lot of time studying "green technology." He has learned that when business and individuals make even small changes in the way they use energy, it can have a big impact on the planet. Doerr believes that business, individuals, and goverments all need to be involved to solve environmental problems, and that it will require exciting and radical innovations.
One of the biggest changes everyone can make, Doerr says, is to switch the light bulbs in their houses to energy-efficient bulbs, which are also called "compact fluorescent bulbs." These light bulbs use three to five times less energy than regular light bulbs, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and they last much longer-some can last up to eight years! They are more expensive than regular bulbs, but the energy they save over time makes up for the difference in price.
Doerr recommends using more renewable biofuels in our cars and trucks. Very few vehicles in the world run on these special fuels right now. However, some countries are making it easier for driver to use them. In Brazil, for example, about 40% of vehicles use biofuels, which keeps millions of tons of carbon dioxide out of the air. And researchers are working to develop better biofuels all the time, which will save more energy, keep the air cleaner, and make the planet healthier.
Companies can make changes that impact the environment, too. A large chain of retail stores painted the roofs of about 25% of their buildings white and installed skylights. As a result, they saved money on lighting and air-conditioning, and reduced the carbon dioxide emissions associated with those energy uses.
In order to make decisions that will affect the future in positive ways, we need to know as consumers how much our choices cost, Doerr says. Those costs can be financial, like the price of a light bulbs or a liter of fuel, or they can be environmental. Did you ever wonder how much carbon dioxide it takes to put water in a plastic bottle and to transport it from its source to your refrigerator? By asking the right questions, we can make the right decisions.