Friday, September 19

Why Move Your Green Business To A Brown State

Miles expands to Montana and ZAP moves to Kentucky: NEV sales surge, and better yet...

Like most new startup companies, Miles EV is headquartered in a "Green" state: one that promotes innovation in the new green economy.

Miles is one of several EV startups in California. It builds neighborhood electric vehicles: speed-limited to 25 mph, for customers like NASA, UCLA and CalState Polytech.

But recently, a resort in Montana just bought a bunch of them.

With $4 a gallon gas, even in "Brown" states, people are more open to the idea of EVs, even if just for economic motivations. One guy got local laws changed so he could drive an actual golf-cart on city streets. The one he bought 20 years ago for $300 can get 20 miles on an overnight charge.

When ZAP moved to Kentucky their sales doubled: to $737,000 for August. Kentucky was a "Brown" state. There's plenty of little NEVs already zapping around my neighborhood Berkeley in "Green" California. Small eco businesses like flower deliveries and solar installers seem to like their ZAP truck.

And when eco businesses locate in "Brown" States, it expands eco-awareness beyond the few Berkeleys of the nation. This expands their markets.

But it also has another even more important effect. It adds "Green" Senators in "Brown" states. It is natural that congress members represent the business interests of their constituents.

Until we change the interests of the "Brown" state Senators who prevent all green legislation from passing, we will not make any headway with extending production tax credits for solar and wind power or promoting EV development. The fewer fossil-fueled Senators we have, the better our eco-legislation will be.

So. Got a green business? Move it to a "Brown" State. A state run by fossil fuel businesses.

For Matter Network