There is a vital new economy to be found in conservation, and that is where the future lies, reported the
New York Times the other day.
Humboldt County, particularly Arcata and
Eureka, can take advantage of this new economy if we act now. We are in a unique position because we have HSU, the
Schatz Energy Research Center and Rob and Cherie Arkley. Those three institutions will attract the people who want to do the research and attract the people who want to invest into the next long-term sustainable money maker: alternative energy. If we seize this opportunity we can become a leading center of environmental technology.
While we are in a unique position with the university and the research center, innovation is not going to wait around while we fight amongst each other on whether to prop up and bandage a smoke stack economy or try to revitalize our economy by putting in big box stores and B rated motels. Let’s not lose this opportunity.
HSU is already up and running with a perfect environmental mindset and academic programs to accommodate the new economy. HSU already has all of the departments necessary to nurture and train and educate the students who will become the entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers and perhaps the next Noble Prize winners in the new economy-- conservation and alternate energy. HSU will train the students and Humboldt County will make sure the students stay in our community because we will help them start their businesses, incubate their ideas for alternative energy and provide them a supportive environment to work on the next environmental breakthrough.
What better place to start than the balloon track.
It’s time to change the paradigm. I ask, I urge, I beg the Arkleys and the business community to rethink what they want to do with the balloon track and all other business models in this community. If you guys want to make money, lots of it, invest in the new economy, you’ll make yourselves a whole lot more money. Mr. and Mrs. Arckley I know you are not in it just for the money. Imagine turning Humboldt County into the next Silicon Valley of environmental innovation. You’ll do something really good and make yourselves a lot more money than you ever would with Home Depot. Who better than you two to consider funding a startup in energy research. Why let the Bay Area take the lead in this new economy, we can do it instead.
We have niche and we must not lose this opportunity. If we continue to think small and predictable and limit ourselves to an economy like any mundane community anywhere in the country, we'll miss the boat and watch our children and students bound for other lands.
