OppGreen Insights

Opportunity Green attends launch of CleanTech Los Angeles

Posted on 15. Apr, 2009 by Chathri Munasinghe in Events

Esteemed figures in the academic community and Los Angeles government converged this morning to announce the launch of CleanTech Los Angeles.  This unique partnership aims to introduce Los Angeles into the greenspace as the hub of clean techonology.  Members include the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Caltech, DWP, JPL, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, UCLA, and USC.Opportunity Green Co-Founder Mike Flynn was on hand to witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by all involved parties. During the Q&A, Flynn highlighted the importance of creating clean technology curriculum at engineering schools, such as USC, UCLA, and Caltech.  In general, he is positive about the CleanTech intiative, stating “I’m very excited to see this collaboration between academia, policy and business in LA.”

The innovative launch comes one day after Villaraigosa’s State of the City Address.  A focal point was his plan for a “green” industry corridor east of downtown that would serve as a hub for environmentally conscious firms.  According to the LA Times, Villaraigosa stated Los Angeles needs “to build a future in which clean technology is as synonymous with Los Angeles as motion pictures or aerospace.” Additionally, Opportunity Green supports the Mayor’s recent initiatives: sending 2,000 dirty diesel trucks to the junk yard and replacing them with vehicles that run on natural gas and electricity.Overall, it’s hopeful the CleanTech initiative will boost the number of “green collar” jobs and build Los Angeles into America’s “cleanest and greenest” city.

Tags: Caltech, Clean Tech, clean technology, Community Redevelopment Agency, CRA/LA, DWP, Events, Gary Toebben, Gene Block, green collar, Jean-Lau Chameau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, LA Times, Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Hall, Mary Leslie, Mayor Villaraigosa, Mike Flynn, Opportunity Green, UCLA, USC