DARPA Thinks Walls of Oysters Could Protect Shores Against Hurricanes
October 11th, 2024 Via Wired, a report on how the US defense research agency is funding three universities to engineer reef structures that will be colonized by corals and bivalves and absorb the power of future [...]
Urban Heat Stress Is Another Disparity in the World’s Most Unequal Nation
October 11th, 2024 Via Bloomberg, a look at how South African shantytowns are far hotter than wealthy city suburbs: Noluthando Geja isn’t looking forward to summer. The unemployed 44-year-old dreads the [...]
Sustainable Building Effort Reaches New Heights With Wooden Skyscrapers
October 10th, 2024 Via Knowable Magazine, a look at how wood engineered for strength and safety offers architects an alternative to carbon-intensive steel and concrete: At the University of Toronto, just across the [...]
When Hurricane Helene Hit, This Disaster-Proof Florida Neighborhood Kept The Lights On
October 7th, 2024 Via Fast Company, a look at a new development on Florida’s coast was designed to be as hurricane-proof as possible. So far, it’s working: Last Thursday, when Hurricane Helene hit the small town [...]
Too Hot By Day, Dubai’s Floodlit Beaches Are Packed At Night
October 6th, 2024 Via Al Monitor, a report on one way in which Dubai is adapting to extreme heat: Roasted by summer temperatures too hot for the beach, Dubai has turned to an innovative solution: opening them at [...]
How To Build An AC That Will Get The World Through Hotter Summers
October 6th, 2024 Via The Washington Post, a look at how – in order to combat stickier weather – air conditioners need to go from cooling machines to humidity gulpers: In this tropical city, where humidity [...]

ABOUT
BLACK SWANS GREEN SHOOTS
Black Swans / Green Shoots examines the collision between urbanization and resource scarcity in a world affected by climate change, identifying opportunities to build sustainable cities and resilient infrastructure through the use of revolutionary capital, increased awareness, innovative technologies, and smart design to make a difference in the face of global and local climate perils.

'Black Swans' are highly improbable events that come as a surprise, have major disruptive effects, and that are often rationalized after the fact as if they had been predictable to begin with. In our rapidly warming world, such events are occurring ever more frequently and include wildfires, floods, extreme heat, and drought.

'Green Shoots' is a term used to describe signs of economic recovery or positive data during a downturn. It references a period of growth and recovery, when plants start to show signs of health and life, and, therefore, has been employed as a metaphor for a recovering economy.

It is my hope that Black Swans / Green Shoots will help readers understand both climate-activated risk and opportunity so that you may invest in, advise, or lead organizations in the context of increasing pressures of global urbanization, resource scarcity, and perils relating to climate change. I believe that the tools of business and finance can help individuals, businesses, and global society make informed choices about who and what to protect, and I hope that this blog provides some insight into the policy and private sector tools used to assess investments in resilient reinforcement, response, or recovery.