The Talk of TED

Business Week ^ | 3/12/2007 | Jessi Hempel

[ZeitgeistSurfer]

The California conference of entrepreneurs, scientists, celebs, and politicians highlights the environment, Rwanda, and war photos, among other topics

In recent years, the TED conference has gained a reputation for blissfully big ideas buoyed by unrelenting optimism. So few conference goers were prepared for venture capitalist John Doerr to choke up with emotion as he kicked off the second day of talks on Mar. 9.

"I'm scared," he told the audience, looking down at his 15-year-old daughter in the front row. "I don't think we're going to make it."

Doerr issued a passionate call to action for everyone to make environmental concerns their "next big thing." As one of several positive examples, he praised Wal-Mart for making great moves to address what he called the three largest energy drains in business—heating and cooling systems, lighting, and refrigeration. The giant's initiative forced its 60,000 suppliers to focus on environmental issues as well, he said.

"Going green is the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century," said Doerr, who through his venture firm's Greentech initiative is investing in the sector. Although much attention has been focused on fighting global warming, Doerr offered a bleak assessment of these efforts. "I'm afraid it's not enough," he said.

Going green is the most prominent of the themes that has emerged at TED this year, and it has taken on a newfound urgency. But if Doerr seemed depressed, the audience was energized.

[ZeitgeistSurfer]

There seems to be an inverse relationship of wealth, fame and common sense. John Doerr, once the most respected VC in the Valley, is now making a spectacle of himself with this kind of bathethic display of misdirected emotionality.

[2banana]

"I'm scared," he told the audience, looking down at his 15-year-old daughter in the front row. "I don't think we're going to make it."

Yeah - especially if you are walking alone in any democratic control big city...

[BurbankKarl]

Haha...they werent saying that 10 years ago flogging those Chevy Corvettes around Laguna Seca!

[siunevada]

"I'm scared,"..."I don't think we're going to make it."

Do not exceed the prescribed dosage for your medication.

Mr. D needs to get outside the grid for a while, wiggle his toes in the mud or something. Get some genuine R+R.

[tranzorZ]

oh good grief, more, "The sky is falling!" from jerks who don't know what they are talking about.