When drought brought a critical shortage of water to Kerala, India, anti-globalization activists placed part of the blame on Coca-Cola, which operated a plant there. Critics contended that Coca-Cola failed to involve the local community in its plans and built a substantial global movement against water privatization, employing the tactic of “brand-jacking” of the world’s No. 1 brand – Coke -- to make their point.

Today, Coke’s Kerala plant is closed – a casualty of the global pressure placed on the company. But the campaign against corporate water has only grown stronger. Today, the focus is on bottled water, which critics point to as a wasteful, expensive example of water privatization – companies taking public water, repackaging it, and selling it back to us for a profit.

But the water wars have just begun. Bottled water may be today’s popular target. But activists are beginning to look beyond bottled water, setting their sites on much bigger objectives. At stake, they believe, is whether water is recognized as a basic human right, or becomes simply another commodity controlled by giant corporations.

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While the total installed capacity of emerging "second generation" marine hydrokinetic resources was less than 10 megwatts (MW) at the end of 2008, a recent surge in interest has generated a buzz, particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Portugal, South Korea, New Zealand and Japan.The next five years will determine whether these sources are THE NEXT BIG THING, or delegate to niche markets.

The United Nations (UN) projects that the total “technically exploitable” potential for waterpower (including marine renewables) is 15 trillion kilowatt-hours, equal to half of the projected global electricity use in the year 2030. Of this vast resource potential, roughly 15 percent has been developed so far. The UN and World Energy Council projects 250 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower will be developed by the 2030. If marine renewables capture just 10 percent of this forecasted hydropower capacity, that figure represents 25 GW, a valid possibility and the likely floor on market scope.

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Imperial County, tucked away in the southeastern corner of California, has long suffered from perennial unemployment rates exceeding 20 percent.

Yet Imperial County is also home to the “crown jewel” of all geothermal steam resources in the U.S., making it a prime spot to showcase how renewable energy can help spur the new green economy so enthusiastically touted by the Obama Administration.

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The State of California is poised to harness the clean energy and economic development benefits that flow from massive new investments in its abundant renewable energy supplies. California is uniquely blessed with some of the best renewable resources (solar, geothermal, wind, biomass) on the planet. This gives California the opportunity to lead the nation in creation of new green jobs.

Among the primary findings of a new report funded by the Energy Foundation and prepared for the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) are the following:

· If California obtained a third of its electricity from renewable energy by 2020, state manufacturing employment could increase by almost 200,000 jobs.

· Complying with this goal could pump as much as $60 billion into the state’s stagnating economy .

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The “locavore” movement is big, especially in California. With the bounty of food found locally in the Bay Area, living off the land – and sea – is not only possible, but a delicious exercise.

Less obvious is a brewing “locavolt” revolution that is challenging our status quo approach to providing power. In response to high gasoline and natural gas prices, global climate change, and the terrorist threat, people are looking to generate power right in their own homes and neighborhoods. California is again in the lead, pushing towards greater energy independence.

Technology advances in computers, telecommunications, electricity generators, conversion devices such as inverters and cars are all giving these locavolts new tools to get the job done. Within the next few years, plug-in hybrid cars will be able to serve as a mini-power generator for your home and store renewable energy from your solar photovoltaics (PV) system or your small wind turbine. Plug-in hybrids may also help balance out a smarter electricity grid capable of easily sending power back and forth between generators and consumers, much like we send and receive e-mails on the Internet today.

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