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58 • Green Project Management

of $20 over the previous month when the methods were not implemented,
and the children made a deal for 50% of the savings, they would realize
a $10 “allowance.” The ability to measure an objective is one of the key
fundamentals of project management. The ability to show value from a
project is just as important.
Another advantage to the GA Project is the fact that the energy companies
are just as interested in energy savings as the children and their parents—
for the same reason, economics. It is very expensive to upgrade and expand
power-producing facilities. In some regulated states, profits are not linked to
volume of sales, another incentive for power companies to conserve. Even with
the most altruistic intentions, the question “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM)
arises. The subtitle to Gary Hirshberg’s book Stirring It Up is How to Make
Money and Save the World. Money and sound environmental judgment are
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not mutually exclusive. As a matter of fact, they are closely linked today.
Besides the product of the project, creating the green allowance, the
project itself, is also carefully being kept green. The GA Project is dedicated
to becoming carbon neutral. Some of the things that Paul has done to
reduce his own carbon footprint are: (1) when anyone has to travel to meet
customers, they purchase a carbon offset. As we’ve said before, carbon off-
sets may be controversial. In Paul’s opinion, “we are living in a world that
is carbon intensive. Until that transformation to a carbon neutral society,
we have to deal with it. To reach a zero footprint practically, you ultimately
have to offset something.” It is an opinion the authors share.
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Further, it is the continual evaluation of how resources are being used
on this project and others that, again, makes the project manager a lead-
ing advocate for green. That’s what project managers have always done—
resource evaluation and efficient usage of the available resources.
Finally, the Green Allowance Project, in effect, is trying to create mil-
lions of (budding) project managers among the children it reaches.
Each child participates in the mini-project of conserving limited, scarce
resources. They will use tools and techniques, manage expectations, look
at the actual energy consumption data, and receive feedback in the form
of an allowance should the project prove successful.
Examples of other projects that are GBD are forest reclamation, estab-
lishing a wildlife preserve, increasing green awareness (global confer-
ences), carbon exchange programs (Jet Blue), carbon offsets (TerraPass),
and a commuter rail line.
One of the granddaddies of projects that fit in this category is one that
many Americans have not yet heard about—DESERTEC. “Our Sun offers