Generation We's Apollo Project
Some call the 95 million Americans ages 18 to 29 millennials. But after studying their interests and uncovering their desire to better the nation, entrepreneur Eric Greenberg came up with what he thinks is a better name: generation we. "They are not a 'me' generation; they are the 'we' generation," he says. "They are about the greater good," he adds, noting that they're really jazzed up about the environment and the energy crisis. Armed with his huge study, he's urging both presidential campaigns to focus on one mega-idea the kids endorsed: an Apollo-style approach to the energy crisis. His plan is to create a department of new energy and give it $30 billion to $40 billion a year to invent the next best energy source. And put a 15-year cap on the department's life. "They need votes, and 70 percent of gen we-ers want this," says Greenberg, an Obama backer eager for either campaign to adopt his plan.
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Reader Comments
How much will overhead eat?
What a dumb idea. Governments are no good at "inventing" anything. The Apollo project and the Manhattan project are the exceptions (and they had clearly defined goals).
The same thing could be accomplished by:
1) Increase basic science research grants through the DoE and NSF.
2) Sponsor Prizes to be awarded when certain energy producing threshold are met.
3) Get government regulations out of the way of the entrepreneurs who will make this happen.
please i want you to help please.
Dear Sir/Ma.
how are you doing,i hope your fine and keeping cool and nice.so i am realy happy for this.well know i will like you to find me job in NEW YOUR please.
thakk you.
Best Regards.
Reginald
Remember DARPA/ARPANet
To PurpleSlog of WI:
Were it not for the defense department, we would not be having this conversation. (Hint: defense $ funded development of the Internet.) There is a role -- and track record of success -- for public funding of long-term R&D that has social benefits but high risk/long horizon. (Our tax code should be tweaked to provide incentive for long-term business focus, but that's another topic.)
Re Millennials, I believe that there's a lot of hype (they are no more homogeneous than Boomers were) but some lessons to learn as well.
Moreover, I think our nation (and the world) could benefit from the collective energy and focus that an Apollo-type project brought in the 1960s. It was _short_ but profound. Doubt me? Go watch The Shadow of the Moon (thank you, Ron Howard).
Check out the PickensPlan (http://pickensplan.org/)
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