[marty]

how many LA’s did you hire this year?

[marty]

an architect designs buildings

a physician helps people when they are sick

an engineer solves problems

a teacher educates the unlearned

a police officer keeps people safe

 

WHAT DOES A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT DO?

O

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

L00k for work

[marty]

The workshop is good because it forces you to draw for hours and hours on end. It takes a lot of discipline to do this on your own. Plus youre there with 50 people who can’t draw well (which kind of takes embarassment away). Its worth while, but you’ll never get to a professional level just from a 2 day course, you need to put in the hours everything. The course is great for confidence and learning new tricks, you’ll meet some cool people too.
Mike’s timing can be weird. When you pay money for someone to teach you, you don’t really want to be put to sleep by hours of chit chat. I remember getting really anxious sometimes thinking “come on lets go”. All and all its worthwhile.

[marty]

tOO

[marty]

16 openings NATIONWIDE. yessss!

[marty]

t

[marty]

The efficiency of solar panels will continue to improve. Solar companies profitability depends on it. This is still a very young industry. As time goes on and alternative energy becomes more competitive with fossil fuels there will be huge jumps in efficiency of solar electricity and photovoltaic technology in general.
It would be interesting to learn the true net benefit of solar electricity in terms of environmental footprint. You mention that the supply chain for solar is less than green, and thats a good point. But, given the fact that a solar panel will generate clean electricity for 20+ years, doesn’t the green outweigh the bad? I’m sure there are studies that must show this.
As far as mega fields ruining the landscape I’m not too concerned. Most fields will be scattered and smaller because of the fact that so much electricity is lost during transmission. It will be more efficient to locate fields next to their intended users. Take a look at Germany. They are the leaders in solar and a large percentage of their panels are elegantly installed on rooftops.
I’m sure when you compare solar to nuclear and conventional sources of energy solar will come out exponentially ahead in terms of “greenness”. Don’t forget that solar panels can be recycled when they become less efficient.
I would be ok with trying to live without a cell phone, computer, daily automobile use, ps3, internet etc. but I dont think most people are like me. People love that shit. Hopefully solar will be the answer to the part of the energy problem. let me know ur thoughts chupa

[marty]

I DO!!!!!!!!

[marty]

Good questions, very good argument. I always arrive back at the big “E”; Energy. Green energy will drive the green economy, but not until the demand for oil drives the price per barrel back up to triple digits. Solar/renewables need to be able to compete with oil without the help of subsidies. The only way for this to happen is for the price of oil to be so high that the investment in solar (or other renewable energy) is unquestionably logical. I think the conversion to renewable energy will change the way the economy works in general. It will be an entirely new world in many ways. The change to renewables will necessitate changes in the power grid, manufacturing processes, transportation, even the way things are built and designed (which will be great for us designer folks)

Andrew I think the Green Economy will really be driven by necessity and profit. As soon as renewable energy and “green” technologies become more efficient than conventional methods you will see a huge change in the world around us. Of course, as long as there is a plentiful supply of cheap oil I wouldn’t look for things to change too drastically. Why would they? The economy has operated under the same system for decades.

So where does that leave us now? Your last question “How is the “green economy” going to exist on its own in this economy, let alone drive the overall economy?”, is amazingly valid. I’m not sure how to answer it. I study “green” stocks everyday. Not so much for financial gains but for clues as to where the economy is going. Some solar stocks still post gains even in this economy when oil is cheap (unfortunately most of these stocks are Chinese). I guess the answer to your question, in short, is that the green economy can’t exist on its own in this economy. The “green” economy will only thrive (in my opinion) once the conventional use of fossil fuels and natural resources is noticeably less cost effective than “going green”.

As a profession I think that just means we need to keep fighting whatever battle we can. I’m not sure there is that much we can do from a design perspective right now, simply because there isn’t nearly as much new construction as there has been in the past 20 years. (Thats not to say you can’t design something amazing, I’m just saying less opporunities abound) People simply aren’t consuming like they have. I think some people are learning they can be happy without consuming so much. But I digress. Root for oil to hit 100 dollars per barrel and you’ll start to see some fireworks and some change for the better. Things change very quickly. For example, earlier this year I was gainfully employed 🙂 Cheers

[marty]

Hey Trace One, try this: apply to one job a day on USA Jobs and buy a lottery ticket everyday. You’ll be cashing your mega millions check before you get a job with the EPA/Forest Service/National Parks/whatever gov organization is on USA jobs. Landscape architects simply do not have the technical background that these government agencies desire. If they did we wouldn’t have nearly as much trouble finding jobs. Not to mention the fact that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get a job off of USAJobs.

P.S. Can you please give me a job???

[Author]

Posts