Why Cities Are Getting More Rainy
September 10th, 2024 Via Washington Post, a report on a new study has found most cities receive significantly more rain than nearby rural regions, an effect that has become more pronounced over the past two decades: [...]
Fossil Fueled Comfort—The History and Cost of Air Conditioning in Bahrain
September 6th, 2024 Via the Middle East Research and Information Project, an interesting look at the history, cost, and social inequities of air conditioning in Bahrain where the first air conditioner in the Gulf was [...]
Electric School Buses: The Future We Deserve
September 6th, 2024 Via Vox, a look at how the largest mass transit system in the United States – school buses – is overdue for an upgrade: Riding an electric school bus seems like it would be an uncanny [...]
When Cities Were Nature’s Haven
September 6th, 2024 Via Illuminem, a look at how cities and nature are not exclusive from one another: We tend to think that nature and cities are polar opposites. Yet this is not true. As my research on [...]
The Future of Urban Housing Is Energy-Efficient Refrigerators
September 6th, 2024 Via MIT Technology Review, an article on how adapting old, energy-inefficient buildings is less sexy but far greener than many high-tech solutions: The scars and pockmarks of the aging apartments and [...]
Climate Change Can Cause Bridges to ‘Fall Apart Like Tinkertoys,’ Experts Say
September 5th, 2024 Courtesy of the New York Times, a look at how extreme heat and flooding are accelerating the deterioration of bridges, engineers say, posing a quiet but growing threat: On a 95-degree day this [...]

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.