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FUEL - OPENS FEB 13th in Los Angeles
Posted on February 17, 2009 at 9:24am —
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RJ, on the 10th of November a friend of mine on the PP site, Iain McKennon, left me a comment on my wall. Within his comment Iain said, "My approach to Pickens at this point in time is to think globally and act locally." Unbeknownst to me at the time that particular comment of Iain's firmly lodged in my mind and has ever since been gradually working its way into a position of being an influential element in my creativity regarding Green solutions.
Speaking of friends, an old friend of mine used to tell me that the road to attaining an affluence (in anything) was to go with what one knew not new things that were as of yet untried. While I am sure that there are exceptions to this rule, I do believe that empirically, my friend's advice can be seen to be immensely more true than not.
So, here I am at a juncture in my life where I want to play an effective role in environmental repair, in preventive envirionmental health and overall be an active participant in a Green solution. Therefore, in listening to a couple of friends, it occurred to me that I can probably have a greater and more effective impact by concentrating my creativity and production on a local/regional target than doing otherwise. I also recognize that acting along the lines of what I already have personal experience with and/or incorporating a familiar reality in what I do is a strong plus in anything I set out to accomplish. And, I know that while acting locally it is critical that I continue to be thinking globally.
HERE IS A SEED I AM PLANTING
I want to share this seed with you RJ because it just might be a seed that you too would want to plant where you are residing.
What I am going to do is form a corporation that is a Green construction company, an investment club, an online social community, a market research company, a research and development company, a documentation and educational video production company and an online course in the ways and means of how to build green. There's even more but those are all the top liners.
What will this company do (broad generalities only):
It will begin by doing infill development i.e., in Fort Smith, AR where I live there is an abundance of vacant properties within the city limits that can be purchased whereupon new dwellings (single family, duplexes, three and four-plexes) can be built. Currently there are not any builders in this area that are interested in building on these properties. Instead the local builders have their attention on building in whatever new subdivision is being developed.
The company will target these inner city vacant properties to purchase and construct new dwellings suitable and appropriate to the neighborhoods where they are located. The dwellings will be aesthetic, have high curb appeal, in most cases be small ( 800 sq ft. - 1,500 sq ft.) as the lots are small, will be built to endure, will be practical, will enhance the neighborhood, indeed the city, and...will be constructed with viable GREEN technologies.
Each dwelling built by this company will be model of green construction and green technologies utilized in home building.
The company, in the process of building green homes, will also serve as a vehicle to introduce, educate and enlighten a broad base of investors in numerous cutting edge green technologies that have to do with the home and beyond.
The company will circumvent the need for borrowing capital by opening up investment (per project) to the general public (local, national or international).
Participation in this company will be made very simple and inclusive. For example: The range of investment accepted will go from as low as $10 to as high as, but not exceeding, 5 percent of a project's total cost. Therefore, the lowest number of investors that could ever be possible on any project would be 20. Investments will be done by project.
Every project will be audio/video documented from beginning to end. The video documentation will be made available to any investor who has invested in the project. Also, when the completed dwelling is sold the buyer will receive a copy of the entire video documentation of their new green home from planning to completion.
Of course, all investors will be able to follow the progress of each project that they have invested in online and interact with the project. There will be web cams at each job site, weekly reports will be online by the project mgr. including detailed photos and anecdotes and detailed weekly expenditures. And, any and all tech used in the building of the project will be thoroughly explained as it is incorporated. I guess you could say that this aspect of the company is like doing an in-house Better Homes and Gardens type of production. Who knows...perhaps it could even become a series for PBS.
The entire operation process of the company will be transparent.
Nothing is done unless the money to pay for it is immediately available. Nothing is bought on credit.
All personnel who are involved in anyway with a project of the company or the company itself are a member/investor of the company. The exception to this would be anyone employed by the government eg., builidng inspectors, city planners, etc.
This is not a volunteer based company. Those who deliver a product and/or service for the company will be paid for the product/service just as they are always paid for their services rendered.
All frontline and backline costs are factored into the overall cost of a project. The video production and the online access availability are atypical expenses to a construction project. However, these elements are critical to the purpose and operation of the company so they will become a typical expense included in the budget of each project carried out by this company. The company's motto: Purpose - Product - Profit (listed in relative order of importance).
At this stage in the creative process everything is subject to modification.
Okay, RJ. There's the seed I'm planting in very broad and general terms. I'm sure you will see and extrapolate all the possibilities and potential of such a company. Feel free to ask any questions that you may have or comment as you wish. I am totally willing to share any of this project and how it progresses with anyone. In my opinion, if we had myriad of these companies in active operation we could all only benefit by such a circumstance.
If you would like to be a sounding board for me or otherwise participate in some way in the ongoing development of this company just let me know by emailing me at mfs01@mynewroads.com
I have helped to construct many dwellings of many different sizes over the last 35 years but I have never constructed a house that totally utilizes green technologies. There will obviously be a learning curve to overcome and I will have to recruit those who have this expertise from numerous areas including the PP site. Access to green expertise does not seem to be all that available locally.
Monte
Thanks for signing in at the Artists Round-Up. You are a great addition there. RJ, please feel free to start a discussion there and tell us more about yourself, your services and add some images too. It's obvious that you have most excellent graphics!
Also, thank you very much for sending the email out to the group telling us all of your existence and what you can do. I wold really like to see others doing the same.
I want to invite you to come and look at the elephant. The elephant is in the room. You'll see...
http://push.pickensplan.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2187034%3ABlogPost%3A1366404
Sometimes one might just have to ride an elephant to get things done ;-)
May we always desire to play a better game and create a better tomorrow (for everyone!).
Monte
EMAIL A LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES BY USING OUR EASY RED "CONTACT CONGRESS" BUTTON - - With little effort, we have the ability here for you to send a letter to our Representatives in Washington and Governor, too.
Go to THE PLEDGE (at the very top of this page on the blue header). Lend your voice to the call for American energy independence Fill in the short, standard form. Done!
YOU CAN ALSO HELP BY BRINGING 5 FOLKS TO JOIN the site today, so that we can build a voice big enough that Congress will finally have to listen to us, instead of the lobbyists and special interests, who are trying to derail this historic effort.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE PLEDGE on the Main page. Print out 10 or more of them, get them signed and fax them back to Boone ASAP. This is how we build our numbers fast! Be a leader, be a part of the "100 CLUB", by faxing in 100 signed pledges. Let me know when you are done and I will see that you are added to the list.
If you answered "YES" to interested in becoming an organizer, there are several things I can recommend. Join the following Groups:
Organizers & Leaders
OnLine Action Army
Guides & Materials for New Members
On the upper right corner of Your Page, click on "States" to visit the Push Pickens Community for your state.
Contact and "Friend" the New Energy Army Regional Leader for your state. You can find them to the right, in the Featured Memberssection. Let him/her know that I sent you there and you are interested in becoming an organizer.
THERE IS NO TIME TO DELAY
…to wait and see…or to see if someone else will step up to the plate. It is time for US to roll up our sleeves and go to work. Right now momentum is working in our favor, but if gas prices retreat, the public will forget the pain, and our moment may be lost.
PICKENS U has been formed for college alumni and university students to get involved. If you are or know of a student who would like to become an ambassador to help coordinate the pledge drive, please submit names to Pickens U site (found on the Main page). This would look good on a job resume.
PERSONAL ACTION OPTIONS We need to do more than “preach to the choir”. Sharing ideas with each other is encouraging but that will not
1) increase our membership nor
2) influence public policy.
If you know someone in the press or someone who blogs - get them to cover this. Ask those in the public eye to support this plan.
A GROUP FOR EVERYONE.
Join the Guides and Materials for New Members Group:
* Recommended First Steps
* Projects Members of THE PICKENSPLAN are now undertaking - Can you assist?
* Informational Guides, Flyers, Sample Letters to the Editor & Op-Ed Pieces. (Intended as a supplement to resources available on the PickensPlan itself).
* Includes materials you can download, print and distribute.
*Listings of other Non-Profit Groups & some of the resources available through these groups.
* Recent Technical Papers are Provided for your reading & Educational purposes.
*Sample Letters to Congress, Videos, PowerPoint Presentations and more.
Check out the many groups for Solar, CNG, your area, etc. Connect, learn and share. We grow stronger with your input. If you don't see a group that speaks to your interest, then start a group of your own.
IDEAS & PROPOSALS FOR PICKENS
I know that many of you have great ideas and proposals that you would like to get in front of Boone's team...
They asked us to have you submit all ideas/proposals in writing to the Pickens Plan at: PO Box 12123 Dallas TX 75225.
PLEASE FRIEND ME so we can keep in touch. If there is any way I can help, please, let me know. If I don't have the answer, I will do my very best to get you the answer.
Thanks again for joining this historical effort. WE CAN DO THIS .
Gator - Welcome Wagon Volunteer - Pickens Plan Ambassador - Palm Coast, Florida